A chief magistrates’ court in Makurdi on Friday ordered that four farmers be remanded at the correctional centre, Makurdi, for allegedly desecrating a place of worship.

The police charged Tever Ikyer, Tseyina Imbur, Tsavbee Akombu, and Orshi Atule with criminal conspiracy, trespass, defilement of a place of worship, an act of terrorism and threats to hostage-taking.

However, the chief magistrate, Kelvin Mbanongun, did not take their pleas for want of jurisdiction.

Mr Mbanongun adjourned the matter until December 19 for further mention.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp Godwin Ato, told the court that a letter of complaint jointly written by elders of N.K.S.T Church, Andyar Ishan Diocese in Guma, headed by Samuel Gbinde was received at the office of the state commissioner of police on October 23.

The prosecutor said the letter stated that sometime in September, the pastor and elders of the church were holding an annual congress on the premises when six persons armed themselves with dangerous weapons such as guns, cutlass, sticks and stones and invaded the premises.

The invaders were said to have been shooting sporadically in the air, dispersed the congregation, and stole the offering realised on that day.

The petitioners stated further that on October 16 and October 26, the same gang invaded the church when service was ongoing by the men’s fellowship with a bunch of criminal charms in a clay pot and human faeces in bags, which they smeared on the altar and the auditorium.

The letter further stated that the invaders smashed the clay pot of charms on the church altar and threatened to kidnap the pastor and worshipers if they ever stepped their feet in the church again.

The prosecutor said the suspects were arrested after the police investigation, and they voluntarily confessed to committing the crimes while others were at large.

Prosecutor said the offence contravened sections 97, 349, 212 of the Penal Code Law of Benue, 2004 and 4(2) and 7 of the Abduction, Hostage-Taking, Kidnapping, Secret Cult and Similar Activities (Prohibition) Law of Benue, 2017.

(NAN)