Court remands seven farmers over alleged arson, theft of 12 pigs

A Makurdi Chief Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday remanded seven farmers in a correctional centre, over alleged arson and stealing of 12 pigs.

The defendants who live at Gboko Local Government Area of Benue are being charged with criminal conspiracy, arson, trespass, mischief and armed robbery, among others.

The defendants are: Iorlumun Shimadoo, Ushahemba Sule, Terese Bua, Oryima Asongu, Terhile Tyoshar, Luper Pila and Nanen Bua.

The Chief Magistrate, Kelvin Mbanongun did not take the defendants’ plea for want of jurisdiction.

Mbanongun adjourned the matter until September 18, for further mention.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp Godwin Ato, told the court that the case was transferred from the Divisional Police Headquarters, Gboko to Criminal Investigation Department, Makurdi on July 10.

Ato said that the defendants and others now at large, committed the offences on April 6 in Gboko.

The prosecutor said that the defendants, armed with different weapons, broke into the complainant, Mary Aku’s compound and stole 12 pigs.

“They broke the window glasses of her house and the door of her piggery, battered her giant dog with logs of wood and stole her 12pigs and a dog.

“When police came for arrest, they resisted and collected police riot gunner, inflicted a deep cut injury on an Assistant Superintendent of Police,” he said.

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Ato further said that the defendants later burnt down a five-bedroom flat bungalow, household property and certificates belonging to the complainant.

The prosecutor said that they were arrested during police investigation, and have confessed to committing the crime.

He said that the offences contravened Sections 97, 349, 329, 338, 248, 134 and 150 of the penal code law of Benue, 2004 and Section 6(b) and 1(1)(2)a)(b) of the Robbery and Firearms Act, 2004.

Ato further said that the offenses were contrary to Section 4{2) of the Abduction, Hostage-Taking, Kidnapping, Secret Cult and Similar Activities Prohibition Law of Benue, 2017.