A Makurdi Chief Magistrates’ Court has ordered the remand of an individual who is accused of attempting to kill Benue Commissioner for Power and Transport, Mr. Omale Omale, in a correctional centre.
The suspect, Justine Yongu, 32, who lives behind Mobile Barracks, Makurdi, was charged with criminal conspiracy, assault occasioning harm, attempted culpable homicide and an act of terrorism.
When the case came up for mention, Yongu did not take his plea for want of jurisdiction.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr Kelvin Mbanongun, adjourned the case until March 27, for further mention.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. Jonah Uletu, informed the court that the defendant committed the offences on Jan 1, at Daudu, venue of the primaries for Guma State Constituency’s bye election.
Uletu said that the State CID, Makurdi, received a distress call from the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the Government House, CSP Bernard Adaka, that some hoodlums armed with dangerous weapons, and led by Yongu, had invaded the venue of the primaries.
Adaka informed the police that the hoodlums mercilessly beat up Omale, inflicted various degrees of injuries on him and he collapsed on the spot.
The prosecutor said following the information, men of Operation Zenda Joint Task Force, led by ASP Isah Yusuf, swiftly moved to the scene and arrested Yongu, while others fled the scene into a nearby bush.
Uletu said it was discovered during police investigation that Yongu and his gang members were notorious hoodlums, armed robbers and violent political thugs terrorising the people of Daudu and motorists on Makurdi-Lafia road.
He said that their criminal antecedents had caused untold hardships to the inhabitants of Guma, Makurdi, and the state at large.
Uletu said the offences contravened sections 97, 266, 230 of the Penal Code of Benue 2004.
He said that the offences also contravened Section 4(2) of the abduction, hostage taking, kidnapping, secret cult and similar activities prohibition law of Benue, 2017.
