A 64-year-old trader of Bosso Estate, Isah Usman, has been remanded in correctional custody for armed robbery on the order of Minna Senior Magistrate Court No. 7 sitting at the High Court Complex.
Isah Usman was arraigned by operatives of the anti-robbery squad of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) of the Niger State Police Command for alleged robbery.
The presiding senior magistrate, Hajiya Fati Kabir, who ordered the remand of the defendant after taking his plea, said he should be remanded in correctional custody.
The police arraigned the trader on a one-count charge of armed robbery, which contravened sections 1 (1) a and b of the Robbery and Firearm Special Provision Act Cap R11 in 2004.
The charge sheet marked MN/MC7/CR/56/2023 made available in court and obtained by our reporter stated that on August 17, 2023, one Naziru Habibi of Pyata Village in Bosso Local Government Area reported at Maikunkele Divisional Police Command that on August 16, 2023, at about 1400 hrs, while operating his commercial Bajaj motorcycle, with registration MNA 64 UY engine Nos Duxiwint 94394 and Chassis Nos MD 2A18 AX6 WH 11438 along Pyata Junction, Isah Usman of Bosso Estate Minna, boarded his motorcycle to Rafin Yashi area at the rate of N200, and on reaching a point before Rafin Yashi, he brought out a knife and threatened him to choose between the motorcycle and his life.
When the charge was read to him by the presiding senior magistrate, the defendant pleaded not guilty, and at this point, the police prosecutor, Sgt. Sani Mohammed, told the court that an investigation into the matter had just commenced and requested the remand of the defendant in correctional custody pending the completion of the police investigation.
While granting the prayer of the police prosecutor, Senior Magistrate Fati Kabir ordered his remand and adjourned the case to September 29 for further mention.