A Makurdi Chief Magistrates’ Court has ordered the remand of three persons in a correctional centre over the alleged killing of one Titus Elaigwu at the wake of a deceased.
The court, which lacks jurisdiction to hear a case of murder, did not take the pleas of the defendants on Monday.
The defendants are Itodo Okoh, Michael Akoh and Bernard Monday.
The defendants, all residents of Ugboju, Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, are being prosecuted by the police for alleged criminal conspiracy, membership of unlawful society, terrorism and culpable homicide.
The Chief Magistrate, Kelvin Mbanongun, adjourned the matter until March 15 for further mention.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Inspector Jonah Uletu, told the court that the defendants were members of a gang, one of whose members, one Adole Okopi, aka Skull father, was earlier arraigned in 2023.
Uletu said that the case was transferred from the Divisional Police Headquarters, Ogoli Division on May 10, 2023 to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Makurdi via a letter dated May 8, 2023.
The prosecutor said the Village Head of Efeyi Ipole in Ugboju, Chief Peter Ogwuche, reported the case at Ogoli Police Station on March 25, 2023.
He said: “On that day, the villagers and visitors from other places were seated at the wake in honour of one Johnson Abilama when gunmen numbering about 10 invaded the venue and started shooting sporadically.
“In the process, the gunmen killed Elaigwu, the youth leader of Ogaluwa Ugboju, on the spot.
“The invaders were known to be members of Vikings Confraternity cult group that had been terrorising Efeyi and its environs.”
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Uletu said during investigation Okopi was arrested early 2023 and arraigned before the court.
He added that the suspects, who were at large, had just been arrested in connection with the crimes.
The prosecutor alleged that the suspects during police investigation voluntarily confessed to being members of the Vikings Confraternity cult group.
He said the offences contravened Sections 97 and 222 of the Penal Code Laws of Benue, 2004 and Section 11(2) of the Abduction, Hostage taking, Kidnapping, Secret cult and Similar activities Prohibition Law of Benue, 2017.