Court remands 2 men for allegedly stealing sand in Benue

A Makurdi Chief Magistrates’ Court, on Wednesday, ordered the remand of Ibrahim Mohammed and Adamu Mohammed at the Nigeria Correctional Service Centre, Makurdi for alleged conspiracy and stealing of sand worth N6 million.

The men, who lived at Wadata in Makurd, were charged with criminal conspiracy, criminal trespass, mischief and theft.

When the case was read, the duo pleaded guilty to the charges against them.

However, the Chief Magistrate, Mr Kelvin Mbanongun, reserved judgment until February 6.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Insp. Jonah Uletu, told the court that the defendants were arrested and brought to the station on January 13 in their white Hi-Jet mini truck, with registration number BKB 969 AA, by one Prof. Nina Waapela of Benue State University.

Uletu said that Waapela stated at the police station that the defendants, with one other man now at large, had trespassed into her 300 by 100 feet land, situated at Yaikyo Village, Makurdi many times and excavated sand worth N6 million.

He also said that the complainant stated that the defendants had sold the sand to buyers without her consent.

He pointed out that luck, however, ran out on them on January 13, and they were caught in the act, but the third person escaped into the bush.

He further said that the complainant stated that the invasion of her land by the defendants had caused serious gully erosion to the land.

Uletu said that the offences contravened sections 97, 353, 329, and 288 of the penal code laws of Benue, 2004.