The suspects’ pleas were not taken.

An Asaba Chief Magistrates’ Court on Thursday remanded four men for kidnapping two workers of the Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), Rufus Uzoma and Toyin Atoyebi.

The accused persons are Samuel Okoloda, 24; Augustine Akpojivi, 26; James Dawel, 29; and Collins Enye, 23.

The Prosecutor, W.N. Oruiavul, of the State Security Service told the court that the accused persons committed the offence on August 10 at Mr. Uzoma’s residence at Effurun in the Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta.

He said that the accused persons on the same date and place, conspired among themselves to unlawfully kidnap and imprison Messer Uzoma and Atoyebi.

“The accused persons in the same month of August with intent to steal, demanded the sum of N2 million from the family of Uzoma,” he said.

Mr. Oruiavul also told the court that the accused persons on the same date and place stole N2 million from one Chidi Onwuhara, Mr. Uzoma’s brother.

According to him, the offences are punishable under section 4(1) of the Delta State Anti-kidnapping and Anti-terrorism Law, 2013, sections 390 and 406 of the Criminal Code Cap 48 Vol. 1 Law of Delta State, 2006.

The Chief Magistrate, Augustina Monye, who did not take the plea of the accused persons, said that the case was beyond the jurisdiction of her court.

Ms. Monye ordered that duplicate copies of the accused persons’ case files should be forwarded to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice.

She also ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison and adjourned the case toOctober 31 for mention.

(NAN)