25-year-old remanded over alleged N15m cattle robbery in Benue

A Makurdi Magistrates’ Court has ordered the remand of a 25-year-old man, Shaibu Usman, over the alleged robbery of 16 cattle estimated at N15 million in Benue State.

Usman, a resident of Ekwerege in Ado Local Government Area of the state, is facing allegations bordering on criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and acts of terrorism.

The accused, however, did not enter a plea when the matter came up for mention on Wednesday, as the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the charges.

Presiding Magistrate, Mrs Erdoo Ter, directed that Usman be kept at the Correctional Service Centre in Makurdi and subsequently adjourned the case until October 27 for further mention.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Insp. Godwin Ato, informed the court that the case was transferred from the Police Divisional Headquarters, Ado, Igumale, to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Makurdi.

Ato said the transfer was made through a letter dated September 7 and addressed to the state Commissioner of Police.

According to the prosecutor, on May 15, Monday Enoh and Joseph Enoh were at Table Water Riverside, along Agedagba Forest in Utonkon, where they had 16 cattle.

He alleged that about seven armed herders, purportedly led by Usman, also known as ‘Mobey’, attacked the complainants at the location.

The prosecutor further told the court that the alleged attackers ordered the complainants to lie face down before subjecting them to torture.

He alleged that the suspects subsequently took the victims’ valuables and made away with 16 large cattle, with an estimated value of N15 million.

Ato said investigations by the police resulted in Usman’s arrest, adding that the accused allegedly confessed to the offences while other suspects remained at large.

The prosecutor said the alleged offences contravened Sections 6(b), 1(1) and 1(2)(a)(b) of the Robbery and Firearms Act, 2004, as well as Section 4(2) of the Abduction, Hostage-Taking, Kidnapping, Secret Cult and Similar Activities Prohibition Law of Benue, 2017.