Police arraign Titus Ikyor, others for selling arms in Benue

The Benue State Police Command on Thursday arraigned three farmers at the Makurdi Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly trading in dangerous weapons and terrorising people of the state.

The farmers – Terhide Iordye, Emmanuel Kuhwa and Titus Ikyor – were arraigned for criminal conspiracy, acts of terrorism and unlawful possession of offensive weapons.

The prosecution counsel, Insp. Godwin Ato, told the court that the case was reported at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Makurdi, through signal from Operation Zenda Joint Task Force led by Insp. Shimave Ukooli on July 4.

He said: “The team intercepted a syndicate dealing in illegal supply of arms and ammunition during a stop and search duty at Durah Bridge along Gboko/Ugbema road in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue.

“They reported that when they stopped the bus and searched the passengers, they found Iordye in possession of a cache of 180 rounds of 7.62×39mm live ammunition of AK-47 rifle wrapped in packets.

“Further investigation led to the arrest of the other two suspects who were also in possession of 120 rounds of ammunition which they planned to sell to a notorious/vicious gang of unknown gunmen terrorising Benue and environs.”

The offences, according to him, contravened the provisions of Sections 6(b) of the Armed Robbery and Firearms Act, 2004, Section 4(2) of the abduction, hostage-taking, kidnapping and similar activities prohibition laws of Benue, 2017 and 3(1) of the Armed Robbery and Firearms Act, 2004.

The Chief Magistrate, Vincent Kor, did not take the defendants’ plea for want of jurisdiction.

He adjourned the matter till September 13 for further mention.