Court remands 2 over alleged armed robbery, kidnapping

An Upper Area Court 2b, sitting in Makurdi, on Friday, has ordered the remand of two men: Hamidu Hassan, 37 and Bartholomew Aloh, 37, over alleged criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and kidnapping.

The Magistrate, Mrs. Dooshima Ikpambese, ordered that the defendants be remanded in the Federal Correctional Centre, Makurdi, and adjourned the case till April 29, for further mention.

The Police Prosecutor, Insp Veronica Shaagee, had told the court that the case was transferred from Divisional Police Headquarters, Ado Division to State Criminal Investigation Department, Makurdi, through letter, with Ref. No. AR: 3100/BNS/ADO/VOL.1/35, dated March 24.

Shaagee said that the case was reported to Ado divisional police station on March 20 by one Mrs Angelina Igwe, from Edumoga Okpokwu Local Government Area, in company of three community volunteer guards: Agah Godwin, Peter Ibere and Ebeh Michael.

She said the defendants conspired, beat, robbed and kidnapped the police informant at gun point.

“Igwe was sleeping in her room in the above-mentioned address when three armed men broke into her room and ordered her to lie down, after they gave her serious beating and robbed her of the sum of N450,000.

“After collecting the money, the armed men abducted her and took her into a forest at gun point; she was later rescued by the community volunteer guards, who also arrested Hassan at the spot,’’ she narrated.

The prosecutor said that during investigation, the police arrested Hassan, who later confessed that it was himself, Blackberry and two others, whose names were unknown, who conspired to commit the offences.

She further stated that it was one Aloh who gave them the information that Igwe was in possession of the said amount.

According to Shaagee, the offences contravened Sections 6(b), 1(1), (2)(a), (b) of the Robbery and Firearm Special Provisions Act, 2004 and Section 3(1) of the Abduction, Hostage Taking, Kidnapping, Secret Cult and Similar Activities Prohibition Law of Benue State, 2007.

She said investigation into the case was still ongoing and requested for time to complete it.

However, when the case came up for mention, no plea was taken for wants of jurisdiction.

The magistrate, thereafter, adjourned the case till April 29, for further mention.