A Minna High Court has sentenced 47-year-old Zingfa Nanboi to 17 years in prison for his involvement in a violent attack on a commercial tricycle rider in 2022, marking a significant step in the fight against armed robbery and violent crime in Niger State. The conviction, handed down by Justice Balkisu Gambo Yusuf at Court Six of the Judiciary Complex, comes after a trial that established Nanboi’s guilt on three counts: criminal conspiracy, attempted culpable homicide, and armed robbery. The sentences will run consecutively, with no option for fine, and will begin from the date of his initial remand.
The prosecution, led by Fatima Mohammed, a Director in the Niger State Ministry of Justice, argued that Nanboi’s actions violated Sections 1(1)(a) and (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, as well as Sections 99 and 229 of the Penal Code Law of Niger State. According to court proceedings, the attack occurred on May 22, 2022, when Nanboi, in collusion with an unnamed co-accused, Frank Moses, who remains at large, targeted Adamu Saidu, a commercial tricycle rider. The victim had picked them up from the Obasanjo Complex in Minna, heading toward Maikunkele.
During the journey along Airport Road, Nanboi allegedly used a cable to strangle Saidu and gagged him to prevent him from shouting for help. In a brutal act, the victim was then pushed out of the moving tricycle and left unconscious by the roadside. He was later found the next morning in a bush by a passerby and taken home, where he recovered from his injuries. The prosecution presented five witnesses and three exhibits, including Nanboi’s statement, an audio-visual recording of that statement, and his oral testimony in court.
Justice Yusuf found the evidence compelling and ruled that the prosecution had proven all charges beyond reasonable doubt. “From the totality of the evidence and testimonies presented, the offences of conspiracy, attempted culpable homicide, and armed robbery have been clearly established against the defendant,” the judge stated. Despite the defence counsel, Chief Olukunle Oyewole, pleading for leniency by highlighting Nanboi’s status as a married man with children and a first-time offender, the court imposed a 10-year sentence for armed robbery and seven years for attempted culpable homicide.
This verdict sends a strong message to would-be criminals in Niger State and across Nigeria, reinforcing the judiciary’s commitment to upholding justice and protecting citizens from violent crime. The case underscores the importance of legal accountability and serves as a deterrent to those who engage in armed robbery and other forms of violent offenses.
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