Tuesday, three traditional leaders and three other people were charged with criminal conspiracy, trespassing, and mischief by the Benue State Police Command.
The petition for the case was prepared by the Makurdi offices of Maurice Unum and Associates, the police prosecutor, Insp. Veronica Shaagee, informed the court. The case was received at the Police Area Command Headquarters in Makurdi.
Shaagee said that Joseph Terkpe of Yagba Village North-Bank was the petition's author, dated November 14.
She named the defendants Terhemba Aneche, Donald Uoor, Zaki Igbalumun Torgbenda, Zaki Felix Akaa, Zaki Nyiutsa Hyev, and Emmanuel Anyagh.
According to Shaagee, the matter was transferred from the Area Commander in Makurdi to the B Divisional Police Headquarters in Makurdi by letter with the reference number AR:3100/BNS/MKB/VOL.2/729, dated November 22.
According to her, Terkpe said in the petition that on November 1, he learned through his brother Lobi that some people were discussing ways to sell his economic tree garden there.
According to Shaagee, Terkpe came at the garden on November 2 only to see Timothy Ezekiel chopping down a teak tree that belonged to him. When Terkpe questioned Ezekiel, he was informed that the defendants had sold him the trees.
She stated that Emmanuel Anyagh, Zaki Nyiutsa Hyev, Zaki Felix Igba Akaa, Donald Uoor, Igbalumun Torgbenda, and Zaki Terhemba Aneche were detained during a police inquiry.
According to the prosecutor, the offences violated Sections 97, 349, and 329 of the 2004 Benue State Penal Code.
Shaagee asked for more time and stated that the inquiry into the incident was still underway.
The first defendant, Anyagh, confessed guilty when the issue was discussed, but the remaining defendants refuted the accusations.
The three traditional chiefs received bail from the magistrate, Vershima Hwande, based on self-recognition, while the other three defendants received bail in the amount of N100,000 with one trustworthy surety for each in the same amount.
Hwande then postponed the matter until February 1 to discuss it further.