By Felix Kuyinu
Seven men accused of vandalizing pipelines in Lagos have been arraigned in court on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and unlawful tampering of petroleum pipelines.
On Monday at the Federal High Court, Lagos, the defendants : Godbless Ebi, Saheed Abdulrahman, Gabriel Otovor, Anthony Arubayan, Emmanuel Ajayi, John Adebayo, and Godwin Joseph, were arraigned before Justice Abimbola Awogboro. They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
However, Prosecution counsel, Usman Halima, told the court that the septet committed the offences on January 10 at Obawole in Fagba, Lagos State, noting that the alleged offences contravened sections 1(19) and 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Law of the Federation, 2004.
Justice Awogboro granted the defendants bail of five million Naira each, with two sureties in like sum. He also ordered that one of the sureties must have landed property. The defendants were remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending the perfection of their bail.
The matter was subsequently adjourned till March 11 for trial.
