By Romanus Okoye
Lagos Police Command on Friday arraigned 10 men before a Magistrates’ Court in Ikeja over alleged unlawful possession of a gun and other weapons.
The defendants are Kolade Akinwaju, 25; Uche Okerekere, 29; Musemiu Abdulahi, 28; Abuduhakeem Shehu, 22, Victor Ebube, 29 and Musa Hahiru,18. Others are Nasiru Mallam, 21; Falade Timothy, 27; Danliman Ibrahim, 25; and Mubarak Usmsn, 23.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge of conspiracy, breach of peace, threatening violence and illegal possession of dangerous weapons.
According to the Prosecutor, ASP Ezekiel Ayorinde, the men committed the offences on July 23 in Katangora Market, Abule-Egba, Lagos.
He said that the defendants, who were in possession of dangerous weapons, threatened violence in the community.
“The defendants conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by fighting and threatening violence in the area.
“The police, who received a distress call from members of the community stormed the scene and arrested them. A pistol, three cutlasses, seven knives and a laptop were recovered from them,” he said.
Ayorinde said that the offences violated Sections 51, 52, 56 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. Section 52 carries two years’ imprisonment for breach of peace while section 56 attracts one year jail term for threatening violence.
The Magistrate, Mrs O. A. Olayinka, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N200, 000 each with two sureties in like sum. She said that all the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
Olayinka directed the police to send the case file to the state Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice. The case continues on September 29.