Three men abduct Lagos policeman, destroy N185,000 phone

Three men have been arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos for allegedly abducting and assaulting a policeman, Inspector Shola Akindeko.

The defendants, Olayinka Idowu, 39; Caleb Saviour, 45; and Andrew Ogoh, 36, allegedly abducted the policeman to an unknown destination and assaulted him.

One of the suspects, Idowu, was said to have destroyed the policeman’s telephone handset, iPhone XR, valued at N185,000.

Idowu, Saviour, and Ogoh were also accused of committing assault in a three-count bordering on committing a felony to assault occasioning harm and cause of breach of public peace.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Josephine Ikhayyera, said the offence committed is punishable under Sections 411, 168(D), and 350 of the Criminal laws of the Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.

The charge read, “That you, Olayinka Idowu, Caleb Saviour and Andrew Ogoh on April 3, 2023, around 8.30pm at BRT Garage Awori U-turn, Abule-Egba in the Ikeja Magisterial District did commit felony to wit assault occasioning harm and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.

“That you, Olayinka Idowu, Caleb Saviour and Andrew Ogoh, on April 3, 2023, around 8.30pm at BRT Garage Awori U-turn, Abule-Egba in the Ikeja Magisterial District did conduct yourselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by forcefully taking an officer to an unknown destination and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 168(D) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.

“That you, Olayinka Idowu, on the same date, time and place at the aforementioned Magisterial District did wilfully damage iPhone XR valued at N185,000 property of Inspector Shola Akindeko and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 350 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Magistrate, L.A. Owolabi, gave the suspect an option to pay a fine of N150,000 with two sureties each in like sum.

Owolabi then adjourned the case till May 3 for mention.