Man Gets Life Jail for Killing Friend During Abuja Birthday Party

FCT – A Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja has sentenced Ekang Bassey to life imprisonment for causing the death of his friend, Emeka Nnonifu, following a dispute at a birthday celebration in the Kubwa area of Abuja.

The spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, disclosed the judgment in a statement, saying it followed a thorough police investigation into the incident, which occurred on January 6, 2024.

Details of the exact circumstances that led to the fatal dispute between the two friends were not fully outlined in the police statement, though the case proceeded through the court system over the following two years before culminating in Thursday’s sentencing.

The FCT Police Command described the conviction as evidence of the justice system’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for violent crimes, regardless of the personal relationship between victim and offender.

Cases involving violence at social gatherings have periodically drawn public attention in Abuja, with police officials repeatedly urging residents to exercise restraint and avoid escalating personal disputes into violence.

The court’s judgment closes a case that began more than two years ago, with the convicted now expected to serve the life sentence following the conclusion of legal proceedings.