Police operatives from the Airport Command have arraigned five men over the alleged vandalism and theft of armoured electric cables belonging to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), valued at ₦9m in Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the defendants were, Austine Akasin, 24, Saviour Joseph, 18 Junior Chinonso,18 Mohammed Hassan, 36 and Maharazu Abubakar, 30.
They were charged before the Ogba Magistrate Court based on their participation in the conspiracy and stealing of the items, which happened on 27th March 2026 and 5th April 2026, at about 04:10hrs, along Airport Road, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos respectively.
The first three defendants – Akasin, Joseph, and Chinonso were alleged to have conspired to commit felony, to wit: wilful damage and stealing, contrary to Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
They were accused of wilfully damaging about 200 meters of electrical armoured cable that supplies power to streetlights along International Airport Road, Ikeja.
According to the Police, the defendants dug out and cut the cable from the ground. The cable, property of FAAN, was valued at ₦9,000,000. The offence is contrary to Section 350 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
They were also charged for stealing contrary to Section 280(1)(a)(b) and punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
However, the other two defendants Mohammed Hassan and Maharazu Abubakar, were charged separately for allegedly having on 7th March 2026, in the Agege area of Lagos State, dishonestly received copper wires extracted from the stolen cables from Akasin and Joseph. The copper wires, also property of FAAN, were valued at about nine million Naira (₦9,000,000). The offence is contrary to Section 328(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
They pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Supol Philip 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, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses will be 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.