A magistrates’ court in Makurdi, Benue State capital, on Monday remanded a farmer, Awase Benjamin, for allegedly destroying government property and illegal possession of a firearm.

The magistrate, Kelvin Mbanongun, did not take Mr Benjamin’s plea for want in the jurisdiction to hear the matter.

Mr Mbanongun ordered that Mr Benjamin be remanded in the Makurdi Correctional Centre, pending the conclusion of the investigation.

The magistrate adjourned the case until October 8 for further mention.

Earlier, the police prosecutor, Insp Ato Godwin, told the court that Mr Benjamin was arrested by Stephen Wergba of the Welfare Quarters, the site supervisor at the School of Aviation Mbasonbo, Utuu Makurdi.

He said Mr Wergba, assisted by Titus Adi, the principal staff officer of a volunteer guard, also arrested Abraham Terseer in a white bus with Reg No. Lagos XG237AGL loaded with iron doors.

When they were searched, the police said the volunteer guards recovered a locally made revolver pistol with seven rounds of ammunition found on him.

The police said other items recovered from the suspect include six cartons of tiles, six sets of toilet seatings, 25  litres of diesel and one double wooden door.

The prosecutor said the investigation was ongoing and asked the court for another date to be mentioned.

He said the offence contravened sections 97, 329 of the Penal Code law of Benue State, 2004, sections 6 of the Miscellaneous Provision Act and section 3(1) of the Robbery and Firearms Special Provision Act 2004.

(NAN)