BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
No fewer than 12 suspects, claiming to be members of the Nigeria Peace Defence Security, have been arrested by the Osun State Police Command.
The names of those arrested were given as Mujidat Azeez, (a woman), Ajayi Mutiu, aged 48; Saliu Mustapha, 37; Gbadamosi Ismail, 29; Lawal Naheem, 25; Bakau Nurudeen, 25; Onaolapo Asimiyu, 34; Rabiu Wasiu, 39; Sikiru Semiu, 38; Ibrahim Sodiq, 20; Akinkunmi Adeleke, 22; and Hammed Wasiu, 23.
The police said that the members of the group, which assembled and paraded themselves as security operatives, were terrorizing residents of Ilosin village in Olorunda Local Government Area of the state.
The members, reportedly armed with guns, assorted charms, dagger, sword, knives and other dangerous weapons, visited some residents in their houses at midnight and inflicted injuries on them.
One of the traditional chiefs in the village was said to have alerted the Commissioner of Police in the state, Olawale Olokode, on the development via a telephone call.
Following thorough investigations, they were arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Osogbo on grounds of attempted murder, assault, breach of public peace, and illegal establishment of security outfit among others.
The charge brought against the suspects read that the defendants, “On March 23, 2022, at about 3am at Ilosin village in Olorunda Local Government Area, Osogbo, did conspire together to commit felony to wit attempted murder.
“You, at the same time, date and place, did attempt to kill Agbajelola Sakiru, Agbajelola Naheem, Agbajelola Muinat and Fadele Ridwan when you armed yourselves with guns, charms, cutlasses, sword, jack knives, and other dangerous weapons and used same to injure them on their bodies.
“You did unlawfully assault Agbajelola Muinat and Fadele Ridwan by using your cutlass and injured them on their hands and shoulders. That you did willfully and unlawfully break the windows and doors of the house of Agbajelola Sakiru and Agbajelola Naheem. “You did unlawfully arm yourselves with guns, charms, cutlasses, jack knifes, sword and caused mayhem to make people run helter skelter for their lives. That in the house of Agbajelola Sakiru and Agbajelola Naheem, you did discharge your loaded firearms, break the doors and windows of their house and injure Fadele Ridwan and Agbajelola Muinat.
“You did unlawfully possess some charms which you are using to endanger the lives of the citizens and did conduct yourselves in a manner to cause breach of peace by assembling and naming yourselves an unauthorized security outfit called Nigeria Peace Defence Security, loaded yourselves in a mini bus known as ‘Korope’ with registration number LRN 886 YR, and started terrorizing the community.”
Police prosecutor, Inspector Adeoye Kayode, informed the court that the defendants committed offences contrary to and punishable under sections 516, 320(1)(2), 355, 451, 80, 213 and 249(d) of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State, 2002.
The defendants entered into not guilty pleas. Their counsels, Kareem Adepoju and T. B Ayodele, made oral applications for their bail.
Chief Magistrate A. A. Adebayo asked the defence counsels to furnish the court with formal bail applications. He ordered that the accused persons be remanded in Ilesa Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter till April 20 for mention.
