Edo LG Chairman, Eight PDP Members, Minor Arraigned By Police, Remanded In Abuja Prison, One Week To Election
The 10 accused were later remanded by the court in prison custody.
The Nigeria Police Force on Thursday arraigned a local government chairman and nine other members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State before an a Chief Magistrate Court of Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, in the Dutse Magisterial District.
The 10 accused were later remanded by the court in prison custody.
Among the party members who were arraigned and remanded in custody is a 13 years old minor.
According to a Charge Sheet marked Charge No: CR/DUT/714/24, which SaharaReporters obtained, the party members were arraigned on three counts charge bordering on illegal possession of firearms and ammunition an offence said to be contrary to Section 9(2) and Punishable under Section 27 (1) (b) (iii) of the Firearms Act CAP F28 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The charge has the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun as the complainant, And Tom Uduaghighde Amos, Hon. Kingsley Osehon, Kehinde Olotu, Nuel Mathew, Joel Imojiere, Adeshino Aremo, Ikielea Jeo, Festus Ovienloba, Hon. Aigbogun Collins and Agogoh Daniel, who were between the ages of 13 and 57 as the 1 to 10 Defendants.
According to the charge, the defendants were arrested on July 18, 2024 at Airport Road Benin Edo State and had been in police custody until they were arraigned on Thursday in Abuja, days before the Edo State Governorship Election slated to hold on September 21.
The three count charge reads: “COUNT 1: That you Tom Uduaghighde Amos ‘m’ 57 years, Hon. Kingsley Osehon 57 yrs, Kehinde Olotu 45 years, Nuel Mathew 33 Years; Joel Imojiere ‘M’ 36 yrs, Adeshino Aremo ‘M’ 56 Years, Ikielea Jeo ‘M’ 40 yrs, Festus Ovienloba 47 years, Hon. Aigbogun Collins 38 years and Agogoh Daniel 13 yrs and others now at large on or about the 18th Day of July, 2024 at Airport Road Benin Edo State while acting in concert and armed with AK 47 rifles, pistols and other dangerous weapons were arrest by the police for dealing in arms and ammunition without license or justification and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 9(2) and Punishable under Section 27 (1) (b) (iii) of the Firearms Act CAP F28 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
“COUNT 2: That you Tom Uduaghighde Amos ‘m’ 57 years, Hon. Kingsley Osehon 57 yrs, Kehinde Olotu 45 years, Nuel Mathew 33 Years; Joel Imojiere ‘M’ 36 yrs, Adeshino Aremo ‘M’ 56 Years, Ikielea Jeo ‘M’ 40 yrs, Festus Ovienloba 47 years, Hon. Aigbogun Collins 38 years and Agogoh Daniel 13 yrs and others now at large on or about the 18th Day of July, 2024 at Airport Road Benin Edo State while acting in concert and armed with AK 47 RIFLES, pistols and other dangerous weapons were arrest by the police and other security operatives in possession of 3 pump action rifle prohibited firearms, 1 barreta pistol prohibited firearm, and 2 locally fabricated pistols prohibited firearms without license or justification and you thereby committed an Offence contrary to Section 3 punishable under Section 27 (1) (a) (i) of the Firearms Act CAP F28 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
“COUNT 3: That you Tom Uduaghighde Amos ‘m’ 57 years, Hon. Kingsley Osehon 57 yrs, Kehinde Olotu 45 years, Nuel Mathew 33 Years; Joel Imojiere ‘M’ 36 yrs, Adeshino Aremo ‘M’ 56 Years, Ikielea Jeo ‘M’ 40 yrs, Festus Ovienloba 47 years, Hon. Aigbogun Collins 38 years and Agogoh Daniel 13 yrs and others now at large on or about the 18th Day of July, 2024 at Airport Road Benin Edo State while acting in concert and armed with AK 47 RIFLES, pistols and other dangerous weapons were arrest by the police and other security operatives in possession of 10 pump action cartridges live ammunition and six rounds of barreta pistols live ammunition without license or justification and you thereby committed an Offence contrary to Section 8 punishable under Section 27 (1) (b) (ii) of the Firearms Act CAP F28 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”
The charge was filed by Audu Garba Esq, Prosecuting Counsel Legal/Section Intelligence Response Team (IRT) Force Intelligence Department Abuja on behalf of the Inspector General of Police.
Meanwhile, the court, SaharaReporters gathered, has fixed September 23, for their bail applications, after the Edo State Governorship Election.
A source who was present in the court told SaharaReporters that the Presiding Magistrate despite argument that the court had no jurisdiction to entertain the case told the defence counsel to apply formally for bail and adjourned the matter to 23rd September 2024.
“These people were all PDP supporters and they were all arrested in Edo and taken to Abuja. Some have been in custody for weeks now and were only arraigned because of the noise made in recent days. This is part of the reason the PDP refused to sign the so-called peace accord,” the source said.
