By Arowona Abdulazeez
An Ilorin Chief Magistrate’s Court on Thursday remanded 28 persons, comprising Fulani herdsmen, Yoruba and Hausa farmers for allegedly trespassing into plots of land belonging to the University of Ilorin, destroying the school plantation and perpetrating other mischievous activities on the University campus.
The accused persons were remanded at the Federal Medium Security Prison, Mandala, Ilorin pending further hearing in the three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, trespass and mischief preferred against them. The alleged offences are contrary to Sections 97, 348 and 327 of Penal Code Law.
The accused persons include Abdulazeez Abdulganiyi, 28; Hazzan Ahmed, 20; Hazzan Abdulateef, 19; Abdulyekini Mustapha, 45; Bello Abdullahi, 52; Lukman Abdulganiyu, 35; Jimoh Ajanbi, 57: Abdullahi Abubakar, 56; and Michael Iko Umaru, 55.
Others are Sheu Suleiman, 50; Babatunde Ayuba Ajadi, 55; Hazzan Abubakar, 50; Fatai Anafi, 28; Sule Ayinla, 55; Jonah Tanko, 53; Sheu Umaru, 30; Ahmadu Abubajar, 23; Hazzan Lukman, 20: Abduljelil Abdulganiyu, 23 and Hazzan Abdullahi, 18, Yufuf Ishola, 68.
Also on the list are Rasaq Jimoh, 44; Ibrahim Umaru, 35; Rabiu Abubakar, 37; Sanni Abdulahmid, 20; Sheu Bello, 20; Joel Joshua, 22 and Mohammed Ibrahim, 43 all of Ilorin, Kwara State.
The suspects were also accused of poisoning the institution’s dam with chemicals, while engaging in illegal fishing, as well as illegal felling of economic trees from which they made charcoal.
Their arrest and arraignment followed a petition written to the Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, Ilorin, by the University authority that some hoodlums and strangers had invaded the institution’s land and thereby constituting nuisance and security threat to the University Community.
In response to the petition, a joint team of the Nigerian Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) carried out a raid on the identified spots within the institution’s premises, where the accused persons were arrested.
According to the Police First Information Report (FIR), some items allegedly recovered from the accused persons include a single barrel gun, cartridges, cutlasses and a truck with registration number ARP 595 XA.
The FIR stated that investigations conducted at the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Nigeria Police, Ilorin, revealed that “the accused persons were the dangerous hoodlums and strange people who criminally conspired and trespassed into a Federal Government of Nigeria Land belonging to the University of Ilorin”.
It stated further that “all civil entreaties made by the authority of the University for the accused persons to leave the school land peacefully proved abortive”.
The FIR added that the items allegedly recovered from the accused persons were used to destroy the plantation, economic trees and excavating sand from the University premises without the permission of the school’s authority.
The Prosecutor, Inspector Matthew Ologbonsaye, objected bail for the accused and urged the court to remand them in prison custody pending the outcome of the investigation.
The trial Chief Magistrate, Mrs. K.A. Yahaya, acceded to the submission of the prosecutor and ordered that the accused be remanded at the Federal Medium Security Prison, Mandala, Ilorin, until the next adjourned date, which is Thursday May 18, 2017.
