5 teenagers remanded for killing 18-year-old student

A Makurdi Magistrate’s Court has remanded five teenagers in a correctional facility for allegedly killing an 18-year-old student, Yakubu Garba.

The defendants, Abdullahi Ismail, 14; Ismail Abubakar, 18; Mustapha Yakubu, 15; Suleiman Ismail, 18, and Sani Yahaya, 18, are being charged with criminal conspiracy, terrorism and culpable homicide.

The defendants are residents of Imam Street, Abinsi in Guma Local Government Area, Benue.

The Magistrate, Mrs Cynthia Ikpe, on Thursday, May 16, did not take the plea of the defendants for lack of jurisdiction.

She ordered them to be remanded at the Makurdi Correctional Centre to enable the police to undertake proper investigation on the matter.

He adjourned the case until June 26, 2024.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp Friday Inedu told the court that the father of the deceased, Garba Sani, reported the matter at the Abinsi Police Station on May 9.

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Inedu said that the defendants committed the offences on May 8, at Imam Street, Abinsi, Guma Local Government Area, Benue.

He said that the defendants and others now at large, stormed the area with cutlasses and other weapons to attack his 18-year old son.

“The injuries inflicted on him as a result of the attack led to his death.

“Investigation is still ongoing, we urge the court for another date for the mention of the case,” he said.

The prosecutor said that the offenses contravened section 97 and 222 of the Penal Code Law of Benue State, 2004.

He further said that the offense contravened Section 4(2) of the Abduction, Hostage Taking, kidnapping, Secret Cult and Similar Activities (Prohibition) Law, 2017.

The Star