Court remands farmer for alleged attempted murder
By Aremu Sosanya
A Makurdi Magistrates Court on Friday ordered that a 41-year-old farmer, Akember Ikpior, be remanded in a correctional centre for an alleged attempt to kill a fellow farmer.
Ikpior, who lives in Adeke Village in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue, was charged with criminal conspiracy and attempted culpable homicide against Azenda Ikyor.
The magistrate, Mrs Ada Jack, did not take his plea for want of jurisdiction but adjourned the matter until Oct. 9 for further mention.
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Inspector James Ewaoche, told the court that the case was reported at the State CID, Makurdi, on July 14 via a petition written by Ikpior to the Benue State Commissioner of Police.
Ewaoche said the petitioner complained that he was attacked by armed men on his farm behind Welfare Quarters, Makurdi, on June 20, while he was working with one Isaac Kumafan.
He stated that one of the armed men whom he saw and identified as the suspect (Ikpior) pursued him with a gun, fired at him but missed, and he managed to escape.
The prosecutor said the suspect was arrested during police investigation. He affirmed that an empty shell of an AK-47 rifle was recovered from the scene of the crime.
The prosecutor, who confirmed that other members of the gang are still at large, said the offences contravened sections 97 and 230 of the Penal Code Laws of Benue 2004.
