BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
The Osun State Police Command has arrested six suspects for allegedly abducting and robbing a university undergraduate and two others in Osogbo, the state capital.
The suspects are Lateef Quadri, 22; Mustapha Taofeek, a.k.a. ‘Itele’, 29; Owolabi Rasheed, aka Iroko, 27; Nurudeen Rahmon, 27; Qudus Oladepo, 19; and Akintayo Dare, 41.
The men allegedly abducted one Abdulazeez Nazeer Muhammed, an undergraduate of Hammed Omidiran University, Kola Balogun area, Osogbo, and robbed him of the sum of N47, 000.
It was gathered that one of the robbery syndicates opened a Point of Sales account in a bid to force their victims to transfer their savings into it.
The police arraigned the suspects before a Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Osogbo over allegations of robbery and abduction.
While addressing the court, Police Prosecutor, Inspector Adeoye Kayode, prayed that the court should take cognisance of security breaches in the state.
The charge brought against them read that “Lateef Quadri, aged 22; Mustapha Taofeek, a.k.a. ‘Itele’, 29; Owolabi Rasheed, aka Iroko, 27; Nurudeen Rahmon, 27; Qudus Oladepo, 19; Akintayo Dare, 41; and one other at large, on May 19, 2022 at about 9:30pm at Kelebe, Testing Ground area, Osogbo, did conspire together to commit felony to wit robbery and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the criminal Code, CAP 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
“Lateef Quadri, Mustapha Taofeek, Owolabi Rasheed and Nurudeen Rahmon, did forcefully collect two Infinix Hot 10 mobile phones valued at N102, 000 (One hundred and two thousand naira only) from one Salawu Ikeoluwa and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 401 and punishable under Section 402 of the Criminal Code, CAP 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
“Lateef Quadri, Owolabi Rasheed and one other at large on June 3, 2022, at about 9pm, Opposite Wema Bank Plc., Igbona area, Osogbo, did abduct one Ojediran Oluwatosin Ademola to Olonkoro Ajegunle area, Osogbo where you collected his Remi Note 10X mobile phone valued at N235,000 (Two hundred and thirty-five thousand naira only) and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 361 of the Criminal Code, CAP 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
“Lateef Quadri, Owolabi Rasheed and one other at large at the same time, did forcefully collect one Remi Note 10X mobile phone valued at N235, 000 (two hundred and thirty-five thousand naira) from one Ojediran Oluwatosin Ademola and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 401 and punishable under Section 402 of the Criminal Code, CAP 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
“You (suspects) on June 23, 2022 at about 8:30pm at Hammed Omidiran University, Kola Balogun area, Osogbo, did abduct one Abdulazeez Nazeer Muhammed to Testing Ground area, Osogbo where you forcefully collected the cash sum of N37,000 (Thirty-seven thousand naira only) and further caused him to transfer the sum of N10,000.00) (Ten Thousand Naira) only from his KUDA Bank account into United Bank for Africa account number 2036003369 operated by a member of your syndicate, one Akintayo Dare, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 361 of Criminal Code, CAP 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
“You, Lateef Quadri and Qudus Oladapo, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did forcefully collect the sum of N37,000 (Thirty-seven thousand naira only) from one Abdulazeez Nazeer Muhammed and also transfer the sum of (N10,000 (Ten thousand naira) only from his KUDA Bank account into UBA Bank account number 2036003369 operated by a member of your syndicate, one Akintayo Dare, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 401 and punishable under Section 402 of the Criminal Code, CAP 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
“Akintayo Dare, on the same date and place in the aforementioned Magisterial district, did conduct yourself in a manner to cause breach of peace by opening a Point of Sales account number 2036003369 with the United Bank for Africa Plc. and used same to receive money from victims of robbery and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 249(d) of the Criminal Code, CAP 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.”
However, the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Their counsel, Najite Okobe, Tunbosun Oladipupo, Kehinde Adepoju and Suleiman Akano could not make oral bail applications as the Chief Magistrate, Olusegun Ayilara, ordered them to file formal bail applications on behalf of their clients.
The case was adjourned till August 15 for mention.
