The Nation Newspaper

Tag: breach of peace

  • Stealing, breach of peace top offences in Lagos

    Stealing and breach of peace topped the list of most committed criminal offences in Lagos State between January and March this year, the Lagos Criminal Information System (LCIS) has revealed.

    According to the report, the two accounted for 65 per cent of offences committed within the period reviewed; others accounted for 35 per cent.

    Out of the 17,941 prison inmates  enrolled on the LCIS as at March, the report showed that 1,038 were in prisons for stealing and 776 for breach of peace.

    For the remaining 35 per cent, 158 are for cultism and unlawful society offences, 108 for assault, 90 for robbery,  83 for murder, 80 for armed robbery, 75 for obtaining under false pretence, 57 for fraud, 53 for damage of property, 48 for defilement, 43 for illegal possession of firearms,  39 for drug trafficking, 25 for accident, 24 for illegal tampering, 22 for breaking and entering, 17 for kidnapping,  13 for sexual assault, 12 for forgery, 11 for rape, nine for abduction, eight for illegal possession of drugs and seven each for money laundering and manslaughter.

    Male offenders accounted for 98 per cent and female offenders with two per cent of the total prison inmates of 17,941.

    A total of 1,266 offenders are within the age of 18 and 25, 1,337 are within 26 and 40 years, 375 are within 41 and 55 years, 73 are within 56 and 65 years, 19 are within 15 and 17 years while 17 are 66 and 76 years of age.

    The 17 juvenile inmates enrolled for the period January and March marked an improvement over 66 juveniles enrolled for the previous quarter, October to December, 2018.

    Defilement of children under the age of 18 is top on the table for sexual related offences with 68 per cent and followed by sexual assault and rape with 17 and 15 per cent respectively.

    Top five locations where inmates committed offences in Lagos are Eti-Osa  with 218 inmates, Apapa with 170 inmates, Alimosho has 169 inmates,  Ojo has 155 inmates and Ikorodu with 142 inmates while the least five are Ifako-Ijaiye 20 inmates, Bariga 22 inmates, Epe 40 inmates, Ikoyi/Obalende 44 inmates and Ajeromi with 53 inmates.

    The top five states that have indigenes in the five federal prisons in Lagos are Ogun with 442 inmates, Oyo 359 inmates, Lagos 276 inmates Osun 208 and Kwara with 194 inmates while the states with the least number of inmates include Taraba, with six, Gombe with seven, Niger has nine, while Rivers and Zamfara states have 10 inmates respectively.

    Actual prison inmates in the five prisons as at the time of the report was put at 9,044 compared to total prisons capacity of 4,087. The breakdown showed that Ikoyi has 2,976 as against prison capacity of 800; Kirikiri Medium prison has 3,925 as compared to its built-in capacity of 1,700; Maximum Prison has 1,645 as against capacity of 1,056; Badagry has 298 inmates as against its capacity of 320 while the female prison has 200, eleven less than its built-in capacity for 211.

    The status of the inmates showed that 2,359 are awaiting trials, 61 are on remand, 117 are convicted, 18 are condemned, 80 have been released on bail, 235 have had their cases struck out.

    The Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) issued 382 legal advice, representing 94 per cent of total 408 case files received; 20 case files, representing five per cent, are pending while six case files, representing one per cent are returned for further investigation.

    The breakdown of Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) advice issued showed that 131 were issued for sexual related offences, 99 for robbery, 81 for stealing, 41 for homicide and 30 for fatal motor accident.

    The report showed that 40 of the awaiting trial inmates have spent between one to nine years in prison without being taken to court.

    Fifty-four of the awaiting trial inmates have been unable to perfect their bail, with 34 of them having a bail sum of between N5,000 and N10,000.

    Meanwhile, 56 per cent of the inmates do not have legal representation, 98 per cent are not sure of the status of their DPP advice while only two per cent are with DPP advice.

     

     

  • APC chief, six others remanded in prison for ‘breach of peace’

    APC chief, six others remanded in prison for ‘breach of peace’

    An Osogbo Chief Magistrates’ Court in Osun State yesterday remanded in Ilesa Prison an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Mr Fatai Oyedele, 60, and six others, for alleged breach of public peace.

    The others are: Salau Moshood, 43; Adekunle Onikole, 40; Oladosu Alo, 53; Funsho Babalola, 51; Babayo Daudu, 36 and Babalola Kayode, 42.

    Oyedele (aka Diekola) and the other accused are facing a three-count charge of conspiracy and breach of public peace.

    The Prosecutor, Mr Chris Okafor, told the court the accused committed the offence on Monday at 12.05 p.m at Ring Road area of Osogbo.

    Okafor said the accused conspired and used abusive songs, which were political, and almost led to a breach of public peace.

    He said the offences contravened sections 517, 349, and 69 and punishable under Section 70 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Vol. II, Laws of Osun, 2002.

    The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge while their counsel, Mr Olarewaju Jaiyeoba, pleaded for bail.

    Chief Magistrate Ayo Ayeni ordered the accused to be remanded in prison. Their counsel make a formal application for their bail.

    He adjourned the matter till July 18 for hearing.

     

  • Man in court for disrupting church service, damaging N5m property

    A 49-year-old man, Abiodun Adeyinka, who allegedly damaged  property worth N5 million belonging to the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC), on Monday appeared before an Ebute-Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

    Adeyinka is facing a six-count charge bordering on malicious damage, conspiracy, unlawful assault and manner likely to cause breach of peace.

    The accused, however, pleaded innocence to the charge.

    The Prosecutor, Insp. Cousin Adams, said that the accused committed the offences on Jan. 3, 2016, at noon, at No. 64, Adekunle Banjo St., Magodo, Lagos.

    He said that the accused forcibly entered into a Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) building located at the address during worship.

    Adams said the accused caused panic among the worshippers before damaging the church property.

    He said the damaged property were Jazz musical instrument, Konga drum, piano, five wireless microphones, six pieces of altar clothes, assorted church perfumes, wedding gowns and sacred pictures of Mary and Jesus.

    The prosecutor said that the accused also assaulted the presiding head of the church and tore her church garment.

    He said the offences contravened Sections 50, 126, 166, 170, 309 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Helen Omisore, admitted the accused to a bail of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

    Omisore said the sureties must be gainfully employed and show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    She adjourned the case till April 10, for further hearing.

  • Woman in court for slapping employer’s mother

    A 32-year-old female employee, Sarah Oboh, who allegedly slapped and tore the clothes of her employer’s mother was on Friday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

    Oboh, a resident of Surulere area of Lagos State, is being tried for breach of peace, damage and assault.

    According to the prosecutor, Insp. Clement Okuoimose, the accused committed the offences on Feb.1 at Bolaji Street, Ikeja, Lagos.

    He said that the accused assaulted Mrs Olubunmi Jeyibo, by slapping her and tearing her clothes.

    “The accused gave the complainant a slap and she also tore her clothes valued at N25, 000,” he said.

    He said that the complainant was assaulted when she went to her late son’s company to check the well-being of staff and discuss with the accused who was managing the company.

    “She went to her son’s company to have discussion with the accused who is in charge after the demise of her son.

    “During the discussion, an argument ensued and the accused slapped the complainant on her right cheek.

    “She went further by tearing her clothes,” he said.

    The offences contravened sections 166, 170 and 348 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that section 170 prescribes a year imprisonment as penalty for assault.

    The accused pleaded innocence of the offences and was granted bail in the sum of N20, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    The Magistrate, Mrs Y.O Ekogbule, adjourned the case to March 1, for mention.

  • S’Court judgment: police warn against breach of peace in Kogi

    As the Supreme Court delivers judgment on the Kogi State governorship election suits next Tuesday, the Kogi State Police Command has warned against anyone taking the law into his or her hands as such offence would be dealt with according to the law.

    The state Police Commissioner (CP), Abdullahi Chafe, gave the warning yesterday while addressing newsmen in his office on the forthcoming Supreme Court judgment.

    He stressed that intelligence reports reaching the command indicate that some miscreants planned to create crisis during and after the Supreme Court judgment next Tuesday.

    The CP noted that the command was fully prepared to deal with whoever decides to take the law into their hands, stressing that no public celebration by anyone or groups after the apex court judgment would be tolerated.

    He warned political parties to caution their supporters against any act inimical to public peace.

    “Police will not waste any time in dealing with law breakers within the Constitutional requirement,” he said.

  • Sultan to Nigerians: don’t allow disgruntled politicians cause breach of peace

    Sultan to Nigerians: don’t allow disgruntled politicians cause breach of peace

    Nigerians have been told not to allow themselves to be used by disgruntled politicians to cause breach of the peace.

    Similarly, they are admonished to ensure mutual contribution and team work for the realisation of the change they had voted for.

    The call was made yesterday in Sokoto by Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar at a Sallah lunch he organized for the residents in the state.

    He noted that Nigeria more than before, needed peace and  observed that political losers could seize opportunity to instigate others to cause problems in the country.

    ” They are capable of causing the breach of the peace and therefore we should all be wary of such unpatriotic Nigerians so that its citizens can live peacefully with each other,” he cautioned.

    Abubakar also challenged leaders to be just, pious, fair and equitable to all, saying that, this is the basis of prevalence of peace and even socio-economic development.

    The religious monarch further noted that the settler-indigene dichotomy was the major precipitating factor in many states of the federation.

    ” How can somebody who has lived in a place for close to forty or over fifty years be regarded as a non indigene?”, he rhetorically asked.

    According to Sultan while citing an example, said ” In America, if a child is born today, he or she will be given a passport, this is how it is supposed to be globally”, he pondered.

    He said Sokoto remains a home to all, irrespective of any religious, political , social or ethnic differences, adding that nobody pay schools for their kids, at primary and secondary schools levels.”

    However, Abubakar appealed to Nigerians to come together and live peacefully with each other, while also admonishing the leaders to carry all Nigerians along saying that ” we need to appreciate ourselves as one and work as such because this world is a very short place to be and discrimination in any form is anti progress.”

    Speaking, the President-General of the Association of Resident Communities, Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim commended the Sultan for the gesture, describing Sokoto as the most peaceful state in the country.