Crime
Court remands 5 Herders in prison over alleged Kidnap, rape in Benue
From Attah Ede, Makurdi
A Magistrate court sitting in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, has remanded five suspected herders at Makurdi Correctional Center for allegedly kidnapping Benue Links passengers.
The herders who were named, Saleh Hassan, Yakubu Kanje, Inusa Idris, Yusuf Ibrahim and Yahuza Idris who live at Keana and Awe Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State were charged with criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, kidnapping, acts of terrorism, rape and culpable homicide.
However, the Chief Magistrate, Mr Kelvin Mbanongun did not take their pleas for want of jurisdiction.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Mr Godwin Ato told the court that the case was received at the State CID, Makurdi from the Divisional Police Headquarters, Otukpo on June 17 through a transfer letter.
The prosecutor said the letter stated that on June 13, one Silas Onyilo had reported to the men of Otukpo Division led by CSP. Njoghul Terfa said that armed Fulani men dressed in army uniform had blocked Otukpo federal highway at Ojano village of Ohimini LGA and were robbing occupants of two Benue links buses of their phones, money and other valuables at gunpoint.
Onyilo informed the police that the armed men shot and killed on the spot, one of the drivers, Gabriel Okpale and moved over 20 passengers to Oglewu forest, held them hostage, raped one female passenger and collected ransom of N18 million from them before releasing them.
The prosecutor noted further that consequent upon the information, the team swung into action and arrested five members of the notorious armed Fulani militia.
He said items recovered from them included assorted charms and phones.
Ato said during police investigation, the arrested suspects were identified by their victims and they confessed committing the offences while others are still at large.
He said the offences contravened Sections 6(b) and 1(1) (2)(a}(b) of the Robbery and Firearms Acts, 2004, 3(1) and 4(2) of Abduction, Hostage Taking, Kidnapping, Secret Cult and Similar Activities Prohibition Law of Benue, 2017, 284 and 222 of the Penal Code Law of Benue, 2004.
In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Kelvin Mbanogun ordered that the suspects be remanded at Makurdi Correctional Center and adjourned the case till 3rd of September, 2024.