ARMY/POLICE CLASH: Dismissed Soldier Faces Trial

The dismissed soldier, Lance Corporal Ayodeji being arrested on Ikorodu road last Wednesday for using the BRT lane. Photo: Kazeem Ugbodaga

•The dismissed soldier, Lance Corporal Ayodeji being arrested on Ikorodu road last Wednesday for using the BRT lane. Photo: Kazeem Ugbodaga

Sunday Ayodeji, 32, the Lance Corporal who instigated the soldier and police clash at Obanikoro area of Lagos State, South West Nigeria was today arraigned in court on a five-count charge.

•The dismissed soldier, Lance Corporal Ayodeji being arrested on Ikorodu road last Wednesday for using the BRT lane. Photo: Kazeem Ugbodaga

He was arraigned at the Ikeja Magistrateâ€s Court 1 by the Lagos State Government whose prosecutor is the Permanent Secretary and Solicitor-General, Mr. Lawal Pedro.

The dismissed soldier was brought to court in a taskforce Toyota Hilux vehicle with registration number CE 995 FST and handcuffed while he looked very sober and pitiable.

The first count reads: “that you, the above named defendant on 23 day of June, 2011 at about 8:30 a.m along Ikorodu Road, Obanikoro while driving a Mercedes Benz V-Boot with registration. No. IK 507 EKY unlawfully assaulted one Utos Jirhevwe, a driver attached to the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit and caused him serious harm on the head with iron chain and spanner and committee an offence contrary to and punishable under section 355 Criminal Code Law Cap. C17 VOL. II, Laws of Lagos State 2003 as amended.”

The second count reads: “that you the above named defendant on the 23 day of June at about 8:30 am procured other soldiers to unlawfully assault Corporal Yohanna Ishaku, a policeman deployed to the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Offences Unit, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 351 Criminal Code Law Cap. C 17 Vol. II, laws of Lagos State 2003 as amended.”

The third count reads: “that you, the above named defendant on the said day drove a Mercedes Benz V-Boot with registration. No. IK 507 EKY on the BRT Lite corridor and committed an offence contrary to section 2(4) BRT Regulation 2007 and punishable under section 19 (1 of same regulation.”

Fourth count charge reads: “that you the above named defendant on the said day while driving your car in a dangerous manner committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 28 Road Traffic Law Cap. R 10 Laws of Lagos State 2003.”

The fifth count reads: “that you the above named defendant on the said day conducted yourself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace and punishable under section 249 (d) Criminal Code Law Cap. C 17 Vol. II Laws of Lagos State 2003 as amended.

Ayodeji pleaded not guilty to counts 1, 2, 4 and 5 and pleaded guilty to count 3. He was fined N25,000 which was immediately paid.

The accused was granted bail in the sum of N200,000 and that he must produce two sureties in like sum, residing in Lagos State and must show evidence of tax payment.

Speaking with newsmen, the Solicitor General, Lawal Pedro said government would pursue the case to its logical conclusion. He said that the alleged offences committed by the accused could lead to jail term of over three years if found guilty.h

Ayodeji, who spearheaded last weekâ€s clash between soldiers and policemen at Obanikoro area of Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria was sacked from the army on Monday.

The army said it investigated and found Ayodeji wanting for instigating the clash that led to pandemonium at Obanikoro and consequently wielded the big stick by sacking him from the military to serve as deterrent to other military personnel.

The General Officer Commanding 81st Division, Kelvin Minimah announced the sack of Ayodeji, who was a Lance Corporal on Monday at a news conference.

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According to him, the Army would not condone any act of indiscipline from any of its personnel.

“The Nigerian Army has zero tolerance for any act of indiscipline and misconduct that could cause any form of harm to members of the public or any citizen and this should serve as a deterrent to any member of the army going forward,” he stated.

The soldiers had clashed with the policemen who were trying to stop them from using the BRT lane last Wednesday.

Ayodeji, the soldier who caused the clash on Ikorodu road, prevented policemen from towing his vehicle from the BRT lane.

Trouble had started when a female soldier and a Lance Corporal in separate vehicles drove on the BRT lane and were stopped by the police. The soldiers knew the police were enforcing the ban on the use of the BRT lane when they intentionally took the lane.

The police officers attempted to tow the female soldierâ€s vehicle but were prevented from doing so by the female soldier who also pleaded with the cops to spare her.

While her plea was ignored, the female soldier who drove in a car with registration number SD 754 KJA attempted to drive away the car by force but unknown to her, an iron spike was placed in front of the carâ€s tyre while the vehicle climbed it and one of the tyres was punctured.

As the car was being towed out of the BRT lane, Ayodeji, the other soldier in a car with registration number KE 507 EKY, came out of his car to confront the cops.

He concealed his identity by removing the name tag on his uniform.

Ayodeji insulted the police officers and dared anyone to tow his vehicle. Because of his rudeness, the policemen who had earlier allowed almost 10 vehicles being driven by soldiers who violated the use of the BRT lane to go, decided to tow the Lance Corporalâ€s vehicle.

The Lance Corporal head-butted a police officer who was trying to drive his car away. He manhandled the cop while the police team leader tried to calm him down and restrained his men from retaliating.

—Kazeem Ugbodaga

 

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