A 38-year-old farmer, Aondowase Bebeshi, has been remanded at the Makurdi Correctional Centre over allegations that he abducted a 14-year-old boy and took him to Benin City without his father's consent.
Bebeshi, who lives opposite Township Hall in Jato-Aka, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, was arraigned before a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Makurdi on Tuesday on charges bordering on abduction and child trafficking.
The Chief Magistrate, W.A. Orgba, ordered his remand after declining to take his plea on the grounds that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case. The matter was adjourned until November 16 for mention.
The prosecutor, Inspector Jonah Uletu, told the court that the boy's father, Terfa Maya, reported the alleged disappearance of his son at the Jato-Aka Divisional Police Headquarters.
Uletu said Maya reported that his son left home for Holy Family Secondary School, Jato-Aka, on October 14, 2024, but failed to return, prompting a search for the missing teenager.
According to the prosecutor, the father later received information that Bebeshi had allegedly taken the boy to Benin City without informing him or obtaining his permission.
He further alleged that Maya's attempts to persuade the defendant to bring his son back were unsuccessful, leading to police intervention and the eventual arrest of Bebeshi.
The prosecutor also told the court that the defendant allegedly admitted to the offence during police interrogation. The alleged offences contravene Section 13 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition), Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015, and Section 274 of the Benue State Penal Code Law, 2004.
The defendant will remain in custody pending legal advice, while the case is expected to resume on November 16.
