MICHAEL AKINOLA
Police operatives from the Ikotun Division have arrested two men, Nelson David, 31 and Johnson Oyewusi, 23, for allegedly mounting a road block on the highway to collect tolls from members of the public in Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that while the suspects were being arrested, they resisted and accused the Police officers who went to arrest them of doing the same thing on the major roads in the Ikotun area and its environs.
The incident happened at College Bus Stop, Ikotun area of Lagos State.
While David and Oyewusi were apprehended, others escaped. They were said to be forcing members of the public to part with certain amount of money as toll before they would pass the Bus Stop and its environs.
They were said to have been doing that for sometime now. They landed in trouble after one of the victims, Wisdom Chibundo, refused to pay and they collected his Tecno phone in order to force him to pay the money. He then reported their conduct to the Police, who moved into action and arrested suspects.
They were taken to the Police Station and asked to know why they conducted themselves in such a manner. While being interrogated, they claimed that they needed money and had no other way to raise money than to go to the road to obtain from members of the public.
The Police found them culpable and subsequently charged them before the Ejigbo Magistrates Court for conduct likely to cause breach of public peace by parading themselves on the road, harassing members of the public and dispossessing them of their valuables.
They pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned.
The prosecutor, Supol Benedict Aigbokhan, then asked the Court to give a short adjournment since they have pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that they actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. K.A. Ariyo, granted them bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment.
They were remanded in custody at the Correctional Centre in Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when they will perfect their bail conditions while the matter was adjourned till 30th August, 2022, for mention.