Gunmen hold judges, lawyers hostage in court

Three courts in Makurdi, Benue State capital were stormed by ten gunmen who shot in the air on their arrival causing palpable fear and panic when they held a sitting judge and others hostage.

According to an eyewitness, the gunmen stormed three courts including the Benue State High Court 9, Chief Magistrate’s Court and the Upper Area Court which are all about 500 meters away from State Police headquarters around 8am.

The eyewitness said when the gunmen stormed the Benue State High Court 9, the Presiding Judge, Justice Mary Abounu, who is the wife of Deputy Governor, was already seated when they stormed the court and held her and the people in the court hostage.

Recounting the incident, Mr. Isaac Ajim, a Magistrate said, “actually, the first court the hoodlums visited was the Magistrate’s Court 1. They broke into the courtroom and the chambers, where they carted away one computer, a printer, a generator as well as files for various cases”.

 “After the criminals were done with my court, they proceeded to High Court 9, presided over by the wife of the Deputy Governor, Justice Mary Abounu, and carted away a refrigerator, three stabilizers, a set of computer, window blinds and left behind empty bottles of drinks,” Ajim averred.

Mrs. Sarah Gboji, the registrar at the Upper Area Court who described the gunmen as robbers said, “the thieves made away with N280, 000.”

After unleashing terror on their victims, the criminals, locked the courtrooms with the padlocks they brought with them.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, who confirmed the incident, said three security guards had already been invited for interrogation while also assuring that the suspects would be arrested and made to face the music.

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