Date: 2018-03-25

An Ilorin Magistrates' Court has remanded 14 armed bandits who were arrested in connection with the recent attack on a community in Kwara State at the Federal Prison Yard, Ilorin. The accused allegedly invaded Lakanla village with guns and other dangerous weapons after which they burnt down houses, property and killed livestock.

The accused are Alhassan Mohammed, 20, Musa Mohammed, 18, Samson Ndako, 40,Suleiman Ibrahim, 25, Baba Alhassn, 60, Ibrahim Isah, 45, and Nafiu Usman, 18. Others are Mohammed Adam, 50,Jubril Mohammed, 65, of Tunku Village; Mohammed Ahmed, 21,Abubakar Benu, 60,Ibrahim Kolo, 60, Ndama Jiya, 30, and Josephe Baba, 50.

The accused had on March 11,2018 attacked residents of Lakanla village with dangerous weapons and burnt down four motorcycles, food stuff and damaged 13 motorcycles, four vehicles, shops with goods, a tractor and eight houses.

The accused were said to have injured one Anidu Mohammed, Suleiman Abdullahi, Lawal Atanda, Yahaya Aknabi, Abdulraheem Mustapha, Yusuf Ado, Ganiyu Yakub and Yusuf Ismail;all of Lakanla village.

The accused allegedly killed two sheep, while some cash and carted away some property by at gunpoint.

According to the Police First Information Report (FIR), as soon as a distress call was made to the Area Commander's Office, Bode-Saadu, Kwara State Command, a combined team of soldiers and policemen was dispatched to the scene of the crime where the accused were arrested while others escaped.

The FIR added that the arrest of the accused led to the recovery of two dane guns and 14 motorcycles. The FIR stated that investigation conducted at Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Ilorin revealed that the accused were the armed bandits that criminally conspired, destroyed and burnt the property of Lakanla villagers and equally robbed them of their belongings.

The accused were brought before the court on a four-count charge of criminal conspiracy armed robbery, mischief by fire, attempted culpable homicide, which contravened Sections 6(B), 1(2) of Robbery and Firearms Special Provision, Act Cap RII, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and 227, 336 and 229 of Penal Code Law. The prosecutor, Oderinde Abideen, objected bail of the accused and urged the court to remand them in prison custody pending the outcome of investigation.

The magistrate, Mrs. M.F. Adebola, who declined to take the plea of the accused for lack of jurisdiction to try the matter, acceded to the submission of the prosecutor and ordered that the accused be remanded at the Federal Prison Yard, Ilorin until the next adjourned date. The case will come up on April 4,2018 for further mention.