An Osogbo Chief Magistrate Court has ordered the remand of no fewer than 16 persons suspected to be political thugs at Ilesa Correctional Centre for allegedly attacking the convoy of the Deputy Governor of the state Mr Benedict Alabi.

The presiding Magistrate, Mr Olusola Aluko said that the accused be kept behind the bar, pending when their formal bail application is filed by their legal representatives.

The prosecutor, Mr John Idoko told the Court that the accused threw stones and other dangerous materials at the convoy of the Deputy Governor of the state, Benedict Alabi, damaging some vehicles in the entourage.

The suspects docked included  Ayobami Hammed, 25; Kareem Jamiu, 27; Yusuf Babatunde, 20; Ismail Taiwo, 20; Emmanuel Monday, 28; Bankole Sunday, 24; Raji Wasiu, 25; Babatunde Nurudeen, 31; and Adediran Morenikeji, 25 among others.

The suspects were said to have committed the offence on May 23, 2022, when the state governor, Gboyega Oyetola; his deputy, Alabi; chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress and a crowd of party supporters visited Gbongan, the headquarters of Ayedaade Local Government Area of the state for election campaign.

The suspects, were alleged to have armed themselves with dangerous weapons and took over the Ife/Ibadan Expressway in the town, where they reportedly attacked some travellers after the campaign in Gbongan.

Members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Osun State Correspondents’ Chapel, were reportedly not spared as their vehicle was also attacked by the thugs.

The charge brought against them read : that “Ayobami Hammed, Kareem Jamiu, Yusuf Babatunde, Ismail Taiwo, Emmanuel Monday, Bankole Sunday, Raji Wasiu, Babatunde Nurudeen, Adediran Morenikeji, Olateju Olayemi, Lawal Victor, Aderemi Segun, Idris Olajide, Akimdoyin Ifeoluwa, Olanrewaju Femi, and Nurudeen Sulaiman and others now at large, on the May 23  day of May, 2022 at about 3:45pm at Ife/lbadan Expressway, Gbongan, Osun State, in the Osogbo Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit unlawful assembly and threatening violence and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.

“You (defendants) did with intent to carry out common purpose, unlawfully assembled yourselves in such a manner as to cause persons in the neighbourhood to fear or panic and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 70 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.

The police prosecutor, Mr John Idoko, urged the court to remand the defendants on the ground of the sensitivity of the matter.

The Magistrate, Mr Olusola Aluko asked the defence counsels to approach the court with a formal bail application and ordered that the defendants should be remanded in Ilesa Correctional Centre.

Adenitan Akinola

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