An 82-year-old leader of the Araromi Oke-Odo market in Alimosho local government, Taofeek Olorunkemi, has been clamped into detention by the police over allegations of murder.
Mr. Olorunkemi, the Deputy Baba Oja (market leader), and eight others were arrested last Friday afternoon and arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Igbosere, Lagos.
The others include Williams Falana, 78 (market secretary); Livinus Njoku, 63 (Igbo leader); Lawal Dan Galadima, 59 (Hausa leader); Nasiru Ango, 52 (leader); Musa Muhammad, 62 (leader); and Wasiu Anabi, 35 (leader).
The market leaders were charged with conspiracy to commit murder, murder, causing grievous bodily harm, and willful destruction of property in 2015.
They were also charged with threat to kill contractors of Alimosho Local Government Area in 2017.
Another market leader, Ndubuisi Obi, was arrested on Monday and is detained at the Abesan Police Division (Area B), PREMIUM TIMES learnt.
Jiti Ogunye, lawyer to the traders, said upon their arrest, his clients’ cellphones were seized to prevent them from communicating with anybody.
“And without being taken to any police station, without any statement being taken from them, without any investigation being conducted, and without being informed of, or confronted with any allegations of criminal offences, they were taken before Magistrate Court No. 16 at Igbosere, Lagos, at about 5.00 p.m., and arraigned on a Remand Application under Section 264 (1) of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act of Lagos State, 2015, for the purpose of being remanded in prison custody .
“It was just before their arraignment that their cellphone sets were released to them, which enabled them to call our law firm,” Mr Ogunye said.
“After that call, we hurriedly arranged legal representation for them, relying fortuitously on the kind disposition of a learned colleague who was still in court at that late hour.”