6 Benue farmers remanded for alleged terrorism

A Makurdi Chief Magistrates’ Court on Thursday ordered the remand of six farmers for allegedly attacking and killing one Mrs Kashimana Yayough.

The defendants, who reside at Asunkunya/Wanune in Tarka Local Government Area of Benue, are charged with criminal conspiracy, illegal possession of firearms, mischief, culpable homicide and terrorism.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Kelvin Mbanongun, did not take the pleas of the defendants for lack of jurisdiction.

Mbanongun adjourned the matter until June 4 for mention.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp Godwin Ato, told the court that the case was transferred from the Divisional Police Headquarters, Tarka, to the State CID, Makurdi, via a letter.

Ato said that the letter stated that, on March 12, armed men in their numbers with dangerous weapons such as guns, cutlasses, daggers and sticks, invaded the residence of one Mr Aondoakaa Yayough, behind INEC Office, Wannune, and shot his wife dead.

“The letter also stated that the armed men set Yayough’s four-bedroom flat ablaze, thereby destroying property worth millions of naira,” the prosecutor said.

He added that the defendants damaged Yayough’s Peugeot 406.

Ato said that the defendants were arrested during a police investigation.

The prosecutor said that three GPMG ammunition and two expended cartridges were recovered from the defendants at the time of their arrest.

He said that the offences contravened Sections 6{b) and 3(1) of the Robbery and Firearms Special Provisions Act of 2004, Sections 329, 337 and 222 of the Penal Code of Benue, 2004, and Section 4(2) of the Abduction, Hostage Taking, Kidnapping, Secret Cult and Similar Activities Prohibition Laws of Benue, 2017.