BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
No fewer than five residents of Iwoye community in Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State have been arrested by the police for allegedly attempting to kill a female nurse, Robiat Omolara Olajide, over the alleged delay in attending to an accident victim.
Those apprehended were Ajetunmobi Sefiu, aged 25; Olagoke Sodiq, 19; Abraham Titus, 20; Oyedele Olatokun, 41; and Abubakar Labeeb, 26.
The suspects were said to have stormed a primary health centre in the community shortly after one of them, who was involved in an auto crash, was rushed to the medical facility for treatment.
It was gathered that the men got infuriated because the nurse on duty failed to attend to the accident victim on time.
According to a police source, the suspects who were armed with clubs and other dangerous weapons, allegedly pounced on the female medical official and beat her black and blue. She was said to have passed out for hours in the process.
The mob also allegedly destroyed some assets at the health centre during the attack.
The police consequently arraigned the suspects at a Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Osogbo over charges bordering on conspiracy, assault and attempted murder.
Police prosecutor, Adepoju Samson, said that the defendants committed the offences on June 4 at about 5pm in Iwoye town.
The charge brought against them read that “You Ajetunmobi Sefiu, Olagoke Sodiq, Abraham Titus, Oyedele Olatokun, Abubakar Labeeb, and others now at large, on June 4, 2022, at about 5pm at Iwoye town, Osun State in the Ede Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit a felony to wit: attempted murder, threatening violence and assault and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume Il Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“You (defendants) did with intent to kill, unlawfully hit one Olajide Robiat Omolara with sticks and legs and fists blows which made her unconscious for hours and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 320(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume Il Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“You did with intent to intimidate or annoy, arm yourselves with axe, sticks, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons and threaten to kill one Olajide Robiat Omolara and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 86 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“You did, with intent to kill, unlawfully assault one Olajide Robiat Omolara by hitting her with sticks and legs and fists blows and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 351 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“You did willfully and unlawfully engage in wanton destruction of Iwoye Primary Health Centre facilities such as solar freezers, BP apparatus, dressing equipment and plastic chairs among others which are property of Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State and also caused panic to the people of the town after you wielded dangerous weapons and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 451 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II, Laws of Osun State.”
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Efforts made by their defence counsels, Kehinde Adepoju, Najite Okobe and A. O. Adegoke, to apply for bail for them were not successful as the court demanded for a formal bail application.
Chief Magistrate Olusola Aluko ordered the defendants to be remanded in Ilesa Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter till July 12 for mention. He asked the counsels to the defendants to furnish the court with formal bail application.
