Hoodlums club man to death in Lagos

Some suspected cult members have killed a 20-year-old man, Wasiu Jimoh, at Iba New Site, Ojo area of Lagos State.

It was learnt that the incident happened during a tussle for the leadership position of a motorcycle riders association in the area.

Our correspondent learnt that there had been tension in the Aratunmi Motor Park, where the incident happened, over who would become the chairman of the okadariders.

Jimoh, who was a member of the O-YES group, and loyal to a faction, was reportedly attacked around 8.30pm on the fateful day by some hoodlums loyal to a rival group.

It was learnt that the gang members, who wielded various weapons, descended on him, cutting him with machete and hitting him with sticks.

He was said to have been left in a pool of blood.

Policemen from the Ojo Police Division were said to have been alerted by an eyewitness, leading to the arrest of some of the suspects.

The matter was later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba for investigation.

Three of the suspects, Bashiru Monsuru (20), Ibrahim Gufaru (30), Orji Francis (20), were arraigned before the Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Courts for misdemeanor.

Twenty-year-old Oluwatobi Bamidele an indigene of Ibadan, Oyo State, who was identified as one of those who hit the deceased with stick, was arraigned for murder.

They were all charged with the offences on Wednesday.

The police prosecutor, Corporal Cyriacus Osuji, said the offence was punishable under Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.

He then applied for the remand of Bamidele in prison pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution.

Osuji said, “We apply for the remand of Bamidele in prison custody sequel to Section 264 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, 2011.

“On April 14, 2014, at about 8pm, the defendant and his colleagues went to Aratumi Motorcycle Park at Iba New Site, Ojo, where they wanted to hijack the chairmanship of the okada riders from the deceased and his friends.

“As a result, they started fighting Jimoh. The defendant used a stick on the deceased, while his conspirators used cutlasses and mutilated him. Bamidele has already made a confessional statement to the police.”

Beauty Otigih, who represented the defence counsel, Spurgeon Ataene, did not object to the remand application of the prosecutor.

She however appealed that the murder case file be duplicated on time for legal advice.

The Magistrate, Y.B. Badejo-Okusanya, said, “In view of the nature of the offence and the fact that somebody died, it is ordered that the defendant (Bamidele) be remanded in prison custody pending legal advice from the DPP’s office.

Meanwhile the three other defendants, Monsuru, Gufaru and Francis, who were arraigned in a separate court, were granted bail by Magistrate E.O. Ogunkanmi, in the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

The matter was adjourned to June 25, 2014.