A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Makurdi, Benue, has ordered the remand of Jibrin Abubakar, 31, over the alleged kidnapping of 13-year-old Blessing Agwa.

Mr Abubakar, whose residential address was not provided, is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping.

However, when the case came up for mention, the Magistrate, Kadoom Gbasha, did not take the plea of the defendant for lack of jurisdiction.

Mrs Gbasha subsequently remanded the accused at the Federal Maximum Correctional Center Makurdi and adjourned the case to January 21, 2022, for further mention.

Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, Rachael Mchiave, had told the court that the case was transferred from the Divisional Police Headquarters Okpoga to State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Makurdi on November 19.

Ms Mchiave said that one Athanasius Idoko of Ugwu Okpoga Centre, Okpokwu LGA of Benue, reported that on November 7, at 6.30 a.m., some unknown persons abducted Ms Agwa from her home.

“The kidnappers used the phone numbers 0902711032 and 0902744428 to communicate with the complainant and demanded N300,000 to be paid into First Bank account number 20334777032, into which N200,000 was paid.

“While the sum of N100,000 was paid into an Ecobank account number 5630034194 as ransom,’’ she said.

The prosecutor said that the Police had earlier during investigation arrested Samson Sunday, Oche Idoko, and Emmanuel Itodo and arraigned them before a sister court on similar charges. The court, the prosecutor said, had ordered their remand in prison.

She further explained that one Jibrin Abubakar of Nasarawa, Toto, a suspected accomplice, into whose Ecobank account number, 5630034194, the complaint paid the remaining N100,000, had been arrested.

Ms Mchiave said the offences contravened sections 97 of the Penal Code Law of Benue State 2004 and 3 (2) of Abduction, Hostage taking, Kidnapping, Secret Cult and Serial Activities Prohibition Law of Benue State 2017.

(NAN)