8 farmers remanded for alleged murder over chieftaincy title

A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Makurdi on Monday ordered that eight farmers be remanded in a correctional centre for allegedly killing one Oyigocho Asu.

The defendants, Ngbede Paul, Boniface Ocholukpafu, Audu Ekwule, Ochohu Inalegwu, Peter Imanche, Odoba Adikwu, Gabriel Joseph and Nathaniel Gabriel, are indigenes of Abugbe, in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.

The Prosecution Counsel, Insp Godwin Ato, said the deceased died on July 15, at the Medical Centre, Makurdi where he was taken to after the alleged attack.

Ato said the Clan Head of Abugbe in Agatu, one Chief Bartholomew Ijele, had reported the matter at the Abugbe Police Station on June 24.

He alleged that the Clan Head had on June 23, got a phone call from his spokesperson (Omadachi), now deceased, that he had been attacked by his rival for a tussle for the Abugbe chieftaincy title, one James Edoh and his supporters.

“The complainant said his spokesman told him on the phone that the suspects, who were armed with guns and cutlasses, stormed his residence and shot him in the lower part of his abdomen.”

Ato said the police detectives later arrested the suspects while 11 others were still on the run, NAN reports.

He added that the offences contravened the provisions of sections 97 and 222 of the penal code laws of Benue, 2004.

Kor, who refused to take the plea for want of jurisdiction, adjourned the matter until Oct 26, 2022, for further mention.