MICHAEL AKINOLA
Two men, Lawal Abiodun, 48 and Ayumide Nurudeen, 20, have been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly invading a place of worship and stealing musical equipment worth N11.9m belonging to Celebration Church International.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened on 24th May, 2025, at Paraclete Event Centre at Shasha Road, Akowonjo area of Lagos, where the church is located.
According to the Police, the suspects and others now at large conspired, stole the items belonging to the church and bolted away before they discovered what happened.
The matter was reported to the Police at Shasha Division. The operatives moved into action, eventually arrested the suspects and detained them at the station for interrogation over the missing items.
After interrogation, the Police found them culpable and charged them before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence which attracts several years of imprisonment.
The charges read:
COUNT 1:- “That you, Lawal Abiodua ‘m’. Ayumide Nurudean ‘m’, and others now at large on or before 24th May, 2025, at about 0900hrs in Paraclete event centre at No.115 Shasha Road, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under the Criminal Law of Lagus State of Nigeria 2015.”
COUNT II:-“That you, Lawal Abiodun ‘m’ and Ayamide Nurudeen ‘m’, and others now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did steal one keyboard valued N4,200,000. (Four million two hundred thousand Naira) only, Mixer valued N6,500,000.00 (Six million and five thousand Naira) only, Two Hisense Television set valued N1,200,000.(One million two tundred thousand naira) only. Total valued N11,900,000 (Eleven million, nine hundred thousand Naira) only, property of Celebration Church International and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 280 and punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
However, they pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Supol Phillip Ademigbuji, then asked the Court to give a date for hearing since they pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that they actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. O. Kusanu, granted them bail with sureties in like sum who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses verified by the Court.
The matter was adjourned for mention while the defendants were remanded in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when they will perfect their bail conditions.