3rd October, 2015
Paul Iyoghojie
Three building contractors have been arraigned before a Lagos Magistrates’ court for allegedly invading the palace of a chief, locally known as Baale, of Abijo in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos, western Nigeria, and attempting to kill Bashiru Balogun by cutting off his right arm with a machete.
The accused persons, Alaba Osoba, 39, Moshood Azeez, 35, and Tajudeen Raji, 32, were also accused of unlawful possession of two locally made guns, ten cartridges and ten cutlasses without lawful authority.
They were arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate Court, Lagos, by operatives of the Federal Criminal Investigation Department, FCID, Alagbon Close, Lagos on a four-count charge of felony to wit: unlawful possession of fire arms, attempted murder and malicious damage.
The police prosecutor, Supol Akin Owanabe, informed the court in charge No. O/27/2015 that the accused persons committed the offence on 7 August and 22 September, 2015 at Aparapaja Casia and Baale’s Palace Abijo, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos.
Owanabe told the court that the accused persons armed themselves with weapons and invaded the palace of Abijo, Ibeju Lekki in an attempt to murder Bashiru Balogun and in the process inflicted machete cut in his right arm.
He said the accused persons, who were also caught with two locally made guns, ten cartridges and ten cutlasses, maliciously damaged a structure valued at N30m belonging to the University of Lagos, Unilag.
Owanabe noted the offences are contrary to and punishable under sections 6, 3 of the robbery and firearms Act CAP R11, Laws of the Federation, 2004 and sections 228 and 337 of the criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.
The accused persons denied the police allegation in the open court and the Magistrate, Mrs. J. O. Adepoju admitted the accused person to bail in the sum of n
N500,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.
Adepoju adjourned the case till 15 October, 2015 for mention while the defendants were taken to Ikoyi prisons Lagos pending when they will fulfill their bail conditions.