The Upper Area Court 2 in Otukpo, Benue State, has remanded former Awume-Icho Ward councillor, Daniel Ujah, at the Otukpo Correctional Centre over allegations of assault, criminal trespass and attempted culpable homicide.
Ujah, 43, was arraigned by the Nigeria Police on several charges, including criminal trespass, intimidation, criminal force and assault, causing grievous hurt and an alleged attempt to commit culpable homicide.
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The case followed a petition reportedly filed by Rebecca Adole at the Area Commander’s Office of the Nigeria Police in Otukpo.
According to the First Information Report, marked CR33/2026 and released on Thursday, the allegations arose from an incident said to have occurred on August 28, 2026, at Akwutulo, Awume, in Ohimini Local Government Area.
The police alleged that Ujah unlawfully entered the compound of Adole’s mother, Amina Iduh, and assaulted her after she returned from the farm.
The FIR stated that Adole received a telephone call from her cousin, Isaac Iduh, informing her that her mother had allegedly been attacked at her residence.
According to the police account, Ujah allegedly beat the woman several times before pushing her into a fire, leaving her with injuries to her buttocks.
The incident allegedly resulted in the woman’s clothes catching fire.
The police subsequently took Amina Iduh to a hospital in Onyagede, Ohimini Local Government Area, where she was receiving treatment, according to the FIR.
The police further alleged that Ujah threatened to kill the woman and claimed that nobody would be able to stop him.
The allegations have not been tested in court, and Ujah is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Ujah pleads not guilty
When the matter came up for mention on Wednesday, Ujah pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him.
His counsel, Rev. O. Simon, who held brief for P.O. Ella, applied for bail on his behalf.
The prosecution, represented by Inspector Nancy Alechenu, opposed the bail application.
After considering the submissions, presiding magistrate Hasia Garuba ordered that Ujah be remanded at the Otukpo Correctional Centre pending further proceedings.
The court adjourned the case until September 22, 2026, for further mention.
The remand order does not amount to a conviction. The prosecution will still be required to establish its allegations against Ujah through due legal proceedings.
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The case has therefore moved into the next stage of the judicial process, with the court expected to consider the matter further when it reconvenes.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
