The Police in Ekiti State on Monday arraigned 98 armed thugs before an Ado Ekiti District of Ekiti State Chief Magistrate’s Court.
They were charged on four charges bordering on threatening violence, armed in public without lawful occasion, embarking on unlawful procession, and unlawful possession of firearms.
The police prosecutor, Mr Samson Osubu, told the court that “the defendants committed the offence on January 25 – a day before the governorship primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party – at Itawure along Efon Alaaye highway between Osun State and Ekiti State boundary.
Osubu, who alleged that the defendants threatened violence, went with arms in public without lawful occasion in such a manner as to cause terror and as well in 11 vehicles embarked on unlawful procession from Ibadan, Oyo State, heading to Ado-Ekiti for the Peoples Democratic Party Primary Election.
The prosecutor added that “the defendants unlawfully have in their possession, two pump action guns, three locally made pistols, six dane guns, 98 cartridges, knives, cutlass, and charms.
“The offences contravene sections 516, 80, 88 and Section 4 and punishable under Section 27(b) (c) of Firearms Act Laws of Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004,’ he said.
The prosecutor urged the court to adjourn the matter to enable him to study the case file and assemble his witnesses.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them as their counsels, Mr Odunayo Okunade, Mr Busuyi Ayorinde and Mr Chris Omokhafe, urged the court to grant them bail, with a promise that they would not jump bail.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Titilayo Ola-Olorun, in her ruling, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties each in like sum.
The Chief Magistrate adjourned the case till February 23 for mention.
Speaking earlier at Ekiti State Police Command Headquarters where the suspects were paraded, the Commissioner of Police, Tunde Mobayo, said the military authorities, who arrested the suspects on January 25 released them to the command on Friday for prosecution.
The commissioner, represented by the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Sunday Abutu, said that the suspects confessed to have been mobilised and armed to the state for the governorship primary of one of the leading political parties.
Abutu said that police had begun an investigation in a bid to arrest their sponsor, adding, “The Commissioner of Police commended the Nigerian military for their gallantry, support and cooperation in ensuring that the state remained peaceful and secured and reiterated the command’s commitment to the safety of lives and property of the citizens”.
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