Three persons were on Tuesday remanded in prison custody by a Makurdi Magistrates’ Court for alleged criminal conspiracy and kidnap of a 9-months-old baby.

However, when the case came up for mention, the court declined to take the plea of the accused persons for want of jurisdiction.

The Magistrate, Mrs Franca Yuwa ordered that two of the accused persons – Ifeoma Aboniyi and Ngunnan Agber – be remanded at the Federal Prisons, Makurdi.

The other accused person, Mlumun Agber, aged 11, was remanded in Gboko Juvenile Home.

Yuwa, thereafter, adjourned the case till Aug. 17, 2017, for further mention.

Earlier, the Police prosecutor, Sgt. Adama Owochio, had told the court that the case was reported to ‘A’ Division police station Gboko by one Kwaghbee Ajiya on June 22.

“Ajiya told the police that while she was inside Obangaji village market trading, she left her seven year old daughter Ngusulu Ajiya to take care of her 9 months old brother Tordue Ajiya in the same market.

“She said that her daughter came running to her and crying, explaining that two women sent her with N100 to buy sweet for them but when she came back, she did not see either the women or her little brother.

“When the case was reported to the police, they immediately swung into action and caught up with Ifeoma Abonyi and Mlumun Agber at Guila village while trying to run away,’’ the prosecutor said.

He said that during investigation, Ifeoma Aboniyi aged 32, Mlumun Agber aged 11, and Ngunnan Agber aged 33 were arrested.

The prosecutor claimed that the three had confessed to committing the crime.

Owochio told the court that investigation into the matter was still in progress and prayed it to assign another date for mention.

According to him, the offence contravenes Section 3 (2) of the Abduction, Hostage Taking, Kidnapping, Secret Cult and Similar Activities (Prohibition) Law of Benue State, 2017.