A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Makurdi has remanded six persons facing four counts of criminal conspiracy, illegal possession of firearms, culpable homicide and terrorism, three of whom have been accused of the killing of four police officers and eight villagers at Ayilamo, Logo Local Government Area of Benue State in September.

Chief Magistrate Regina Alashi, in a ruling, adjourned the matter to 11th January 2027 for further mention, as no plea was taken for want of jurisdiction on the nature of the charges, while asking the defense counsel to file a proper bail application

According to the First Information Report presented by the Department of State Service, the suspects and 25 others, now at large, on the 10th of September at Ayilamo village in Logo local government area, “conspired to commit felony, armed with prohibited sophisticated weapons, to wit. AK-47, locally made pistols and other dangerous weapons, attacked and killed several civilians and intentionally shot and killed four police officers identified as ASP Paul Inah, Inspector Mohammed Yusuf, Inspector Oge Okechukwu and Inspector Andrew Edeh”

The other three suspects were also arraigned by the DSS and remanded at the Maximum Correctional Centre in Makurdi for their involvement in criminal conspiracy and illegal dealing by one Friday, Sani and two others, both of whom are also at large, on September 25th, attempted to smuggle six pistols concealed in a sack of Garri through Benue Links Transport Company to one Emmanuel I’m Warri, before they were intercepted

The arrest of the three suspects followed intelligence by the DSS when a report of a victim of gunshot injury was reported at a hospital in Awe, Nasarawa State.

Speaking to journalists, counsel to the fourth defendant said the court will hear his bail application on grounds of want of jurisdiction while preparing to respond to the charges. (Channels)