A Jigawa State High Court No. 11, sitting in Ringim, has discharged and acquitted Isah Usman, popularly known as Nigger, of criminal conspiracy and armed robbery charges after the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence against him.

The defendant had been arraigned before the court on allegations of armed robbery committed on February 2, 2020, at Chaichai Tsohuwa Village in Dutse Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

Justice Muhammad El-Usman, who presided over the case, ruled that the prosecution did not prove the allegations against the defendant as required by law. In his judgment, Justice El-Usman noted that the prosecution only managed to call one witness and failed to tender any exhibits to support their case.

The judge further explained that a critical failure in the prosecution's case was their inability to present testimony from the two alleged victims of the robbery. This omission significantly weakened the case against Usman.

"The prosecution had failed in their bid to establish the offence against the defendant when they failed to call the two alleged victims of the offence to testify," Justice Muhammad stated in his ruling.

The case highlights the importance of thorough evidence gathering and witness testimony in criminal proceedings, particularly for serious charges such as armed robbery that carry severe penalties under Nigerian law.

This ruling comes as Nigerian courts continue to emphasize the legal principle that the burden of proof in criminal cases rests with the prosecution, and that accused persons must be presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.