MICHAEL AKINOLA
Police operatives from the Rapid Response Squad, RSS, have arrested a suspected Aiye Confraternity hitman, Idris Ayinla, with an English Pistol and four live cartridges while waiting to hit his target around a popular hotel in Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the 33-year old Ayinla was arrested at Eko Hotel roundabout on Lagos Island with the gun after the Police intelligence from RSS accosted him while on routine monitoring in the area.
The Police suspected his movement in the area and searched him. They then discovered the gun inside his pocket with the ammunition and he was immediately arrested and detained as a suspected armed robber.
During interrogation, he denied that he was an armed robber but admitted to be a senior member of the Aiye Confraternity and told the Police that the gun he had with him was for protection and at the same for his unidentified target.
Having been found culpable, the Police subsequently charged him before the Ogba Magistrate Court for illegal possession of arms under the Criminal Laws of the State, which attracts several years of imprisonment.
The Court did not take his plea whenhe was aarraigned after the prosecutor, Inspector Uche Irabor, asked the Court to refer the matter to the DPP for legal advice because of the nature of the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. R.A. Alejo, ordered his remand in custody at the Correctional Centre at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending the outcome of the DPP’s advice and directed the prosecutor to duplicate the file and send it to the DPP.
The matter was adjourned till 30th August, 2023, for mention for the report of DPP’s advice to be made available, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.