The six accused kidnappers, alleged to have kidnapped three girls of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary College in Ikorodu, Lagos, were on Friday remanded in Ikoyi Prisons by an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs O.I. Adelaja, who gave the order, said that the accused should be remanded in prison pending the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Adelaja then adjourned the case to April 25 for legal advice.
The accused, Emmanuel Arigidi, 37; Gift Pius, 30; Fred Omoni, 32; Geofrey Owei, 28; Seun Akanji, 33; and Segun James, 29; are facing a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, kidnap, armed with offensive weapons and robbery.
A Counsel from the Criminal Investigations Department, Panti, Lagos, Mr G.O. Osuyi, said the accused conspired with others at large on February 25, at Maya under bridge along Ikorodu-Imota Road, Ikorodu.
He said the accused conspired to kidnap three girls from Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary College, Ikorodu.
The school girls are Tofunmi Popo-Olaniyan, 15; Timilehin Olusa, 14; and Deborah Akintayo, 14.
Osuyi said that the accused whilst armed with AK 47 rifles also robbed the Principal of the college, Ven. Olaoluwa Adeyemi, of the sum of N5.6 million.
The counsel also alleged that the 1st accused, Emmanuel Arigidi, whilst armed with AK 47 rifles, on March 12, 2015 at Admiralty Way, Lekki, robbed one of the new generation banks and made away with N24.5 million.
Arigidi is alleged to be one of the robbers who unleashed terror in the Ikorodu area and robbed several banks in the previous year.
The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 269(1), 295 (2) and 409 and of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The Counsel to the accused, Mr Ola Ogunbiyi, did not oppose the remand application.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Section 295 (2) provides death penalty for the offenders.
NAN/PUNCH
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