By Oyibo Salihu
Lokoja
Cultural Affairs Officer at Lokoja Chief Magistrate’s Court II has ordered the remand of six members of alleged cult group over the death of one Ipimeda Enesi, 21, during fracas over initiation of new members.
The Chief Magistrate, A.S. Husaini , gave the order on arraignment of the six accused persons alleged to be members of a secret cult group known as Arrow Baga confraternity in Lokoja.
The prosecuting police officer, Inspector C.S. Ayabatu, said the accused had resorted to violence during a disagreement within them on initiation of new members into the unlawful society.
According to him, the accused and others at large criminally conspired and armed themselves with offensive weapons including cutlasses, daggers, and axes and committed the offences at about 9 pm on March 10.
He added that they attacked the complainants, Suleiman Wahab, Stephen Enocha, Suleiman Mohammed and one Alhaji Haruna at UBE Junior Secondary School, Ganaja and inflicted severe machete cut injuries on them.
Ayabatu further alleged that the accused also attacked and inflicted machete cuts on Enesi who was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja where he was confirmed dead.
He said during the onslaught on members of the community by the cult members, one tricycle and a building were razed down to ashes.
The accused were Usman Mohammed, 20; Tenimu Mohammed ,36; Ali Umoru Dansabe, 25; Tenimu Keke-Mohammed ; Ali Yahaya and Muhammed Isah all of Ganaja village, Lokoja.
In his ruling, Husaini said within the context of the originating process and the First Information Report (FIR), bail was not granted as a matter of course.
Husaini ordered that the six accused persons be remanded at the Federal Prisons, Koton-Karfe, and adjourned the case till April 18, for mention.
