A Kaduna Magistrates’ Court has sentenced an 18-year-old boy to 10 strokes of the cane after he admitted to breaking into a house and stealing electrical cables valued at ₦450,000.
The sentence was handed down by Magistrate Ibrahim Emmanuel on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. The teenager, a resident of Kinkinau, Kaduna, pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him.
In delivering the judgment, Magistrate Emmanuel said the relatively lenient punishment was due to the convict’s guilty plea, which saved the court time and resources. He expressed hope that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to others contemplating similar crimes.
The magistrate also ordered that the recovered cables be returned to the rightful owner, Sadiq Yusuf.
According to the prosecutor, Inspector Chidi Leo, the incident occurred on May 17 in the Ungwan Sarki area of Kaduna. The convict, along with an accomplice identified as Mohammed Sani—who remains at large—allegedly broke into Yusuf’s residence and stole the electrical cables.
The theft came to light when a neighbor spotted the teenager leaving the premises with the stolen items and alerted authorities. He was promptly apprehended, while efforts to locate the second suspect are ongoing.
Inspector Leo stated that the offense contravenes the Penal Code Law of Kaduna State, 2017.
