A Makurdi Chief Magistrates’ Court, on Wednesday, remanded four persons accused of kidnapping and robbing travellers of their valuables on the Otukpa- Enugu road.
The accused are facing a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, terrorism and illegal possession of firearms.
The defendants are: Zakari Adamu, Zakari Yakubu, Favour Otse and David Oche, who are resident in Kogi and Benue states.
The Chief Magistrate, Kelvin Mbanongun, who did not take the pleas of the defendants because the Court lacked jurisdiction, ordered their remand at the correctional centre in Markudi.
The Magistrate subsequently adjourned the case until March 7 for mention.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Insp Godwin Ato told the court that the case was transferred from the Divisional Police Headquarters, Orokam on January 19, to the State CID, Makurdi via a letter dated the same day.
Ato said: “On January 11, men of the Orokam Division received a distress call that a deadly syndicate who specialises in attacking, robbing and kidnapping commuters in the area had blocked Otukpa-Enugu road.
“The caller informed the police that the gang had robbed occupants of a mass transit bus of their cash and other valuables.
“The caller further informed the police that they later took hostage the occupants of the bus at gunpoint and led them into Ade-Igwu forest.”
He said that following the information, a combined team of policemen attached to Orokam Division, the Benue Volunteer Guards and the Military combed the forest where they found the kidnappers and engaged them in fierce gun battle.
The prosecutor said the security team overpowered the kidnappers, rescued the kidnapped victims and arrested the suspects while some fled.
Ato said that one AK-47 rifle with seven rounds of live ammunition and cash being proceeds of kidnapping were recovered from them during police investigation.
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He said further that a police investigation revealed that Otse and Oche were responsible for providing transport services to the kidnappers in the area.
The offences, the prosecutor said, contravened Section 6(b) and 1(1)(2)(a)(b) and 3(1) of the Robbery and Firearms Acts, 2004.
He added that it also contravened Section 3(2) 4(2) of the Abduction, Hostage taking, Kidnapping, Secret cult and Similar Activities Prohibition Law of Benue, 2017.
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