MICHAEL AKINOLA
A 59-year old man, Lukman Adisa, has landed in trouble in Lagos State for standing as a surety for a suspected criminal, Abubakar Abdullahi, to the tune of N30m at the Police station
P.M.EXPRESS reports that Adisa was arrested, asked to bring the N30m but he was unable to provide it and he was subsequently charged before the Court for trying to pervert the cause of justice.
The incident happened on 22nd day of November, 2025 at the Command Special Squad II, Lagos State, where Adisa went and stood as a surety for the suspect, Abdullahi.
According to the Police, Abdullahi was arrested for allegedly obtaining under false pretence and stealing the sum of N30,000,000.00, property of one Ogodiunor Godwin.
While he was in Police custody, Adisa went there and granted him administrative bail of the said money and signed an undertaking to produce him whenever the Police needed him.
However, after the suspect was released on bail, he sensed that he may likely be jailed if he is charged before the Court by the Police based on the evidence against him.
He secretly ran away, disconnected every communication he had with Adisa and went into hiding leaving Adisa to his fate.
Trouble started when the Police asked Adisa to produce him and he informed the Police that the suspect has escaped without any information about him. The Police then arrested and charged him before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence which attracts several years of imprisonment.
The charge read:
“That you, LUKMAN ADISA ADENIYI ‘M’ on the 22nd day of November, 2025,
at about 11:15hrs at Command Special Squad II, Lagos State Police Command, State Headquarters, G.R.A, Ikeja, In Lagos magisterial district, with intent to pervert cause of justice did take one Abubakar Abdullahi ‘m’ on Police Administration Bail, who was involved in obtaining under false preterice and stealing the sum of Thirty Million Naira (N30,000,000.00), property of one Ogodiunor Godwin, which was converted to his personal use, of which you filled the bail bond as well as Letter of Undertaking and with your National Identity Management System, NIMC slip to produce him at the Police Command pending when the case will be settled or disposed of, but you were unable to produce him on demand and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97 (1) of the criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
However, he pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Supol Josephine Ihkayere, asked the Court to give a date for hearing since he pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that he actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mr. L.A. Owolabi, granted him bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses will be verified by the Court.
The matter was adjourned for 17th June, 2026, for mention while the defendant was remanded in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.