Three robbery suspects accused of attacking and robbing students in various areas of Kogi State were remanded by a chief magistrate’s court in Lokoja on Tuesday.
The suspects, identified as Abbas Salisu, Gimba Ibrahim, and Mamud Lawal Kwara, were charged with terrorizing student communities in Adakolo, Felele, Bassa Village, and Crusher suburb areas of Lokoja.
They were arrested and brought before the court by the State Security Service (SSS) following reported incidents on March 23 and 25, where students from Federal University Lokoja (FUL) were robbed of their belongings, including smartphones and computers.
The suspects had earlier confessed to having stolen 33 phones during interrogation by the SSS before their arrangement at the court in Lokoja.
The prosecution counsel, Olanrewaju Yahaya, filed four counts of criminal conspiracy, theft of phones valued at N1 million, and dishonestly receiving stolen property.
The charge also includes belonging to a gang of thieves stealing the belongings of students of Kogi State Polytechnic and Federal University Lokoja.
The prosecution counsel urged the court to remand the accused persons at the Koton Karfe Medium Custodian Centre, pending the investigation and hearing of the case.
The trial chief magistrate, Abdullahi Mopah, remanded the suspects in Koton Karfe Custodial Centre after pleading not guilty to the charges.
The case was thereafter adjourned till May 9 for a hearing.
Similarly, the chief magistrate court remanded one Austin Obaje in Koton-Karfe Centre for alleged impersonation, extortion and fraud.
Mr Obaje was dragged before the court for allegedly and consistently using the name of the SSS to defraud the unsuspecting public.
He was brought to court on charges that he had fraudulently obtained N300,000 from one Simeon Omakoji under the false pretence that he was sent by the state director of SSS, Tosin Ajayi.
Mr Obaje was also said to have committed extortion by deliberately putting one Mr Omakoji, in fear of death to wit, that the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, had sent assassins and kidnappers to eliminate him.
The defence counsel, William Alewo, urged the court to grant the defendant bail to enable him to prepare to defend his case, noting that he will not jump bail or interfere in the investigation.
The chief magistrate, Abdullahi Mopah, in his ruling, remanded the defendant in the custody of Koton Karfe Correctional Centre and adjourned the case till May 9 for hearing and continuation.
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