The Benue State Police Command on Wednesday arraigned one Friday John, 18, before a Makurdi Upper Area Court for alleged armed robbery.
The Police Prosecutor, Inspector Veronica Shaagee, told the court that the case was transferred from Okpokwu Divisional Police Station to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Makurdi through letter No: 3100/BNS/UG/VOL.5/13, dated July 29.
Shaagee said the Commander of a vigilante group, Okpwungaga unit in Okpokwu Local Government Area of the state, reported the case at Ugbokolo Police Station.
She further explained that that on July 29 at about 5:30pm, the police, while on patrol, arrested Friday, with the cutlass which he used to attack John Ogbu, a commercial driver on transit from Lagos to Oju Local Government Area of the state.
The prosecutor said Friday robbed Ogbu of his Itel cell phone, valued at about N3,200.
She said after conducting an on-the-spot search, the police recovered the cell phone and the cutlass, which he used in committing the offence from him.
According to her, the offence contravenes Sections 1(1)(2)(a)(b) of the Robbery and Firearms Special Provision Act, 2004.
However, when the case came up for mention, no plea was taken from the defendant for lack of jurisdiction.
The Magistrate, Rose Iyorshe, therefore, ordered the remand of the defendant in the Maximum Federal Correctional Centre, Makurdi and adjourned the case till September 25 for further mention.