MICHAEL AKINOLA
A 47-year old woman, Blessing Potoki, has landed in trouble in Lagos State after she broke into her neighbour’s shop through the ceiling at night, stripped herself naked while doing incantations at Army Arena market.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the suspect, Blessing, was caught by security men over the alleged conduct.
The incident happened on 3rd February, 2025, at the market located in the Army Arena, Oshodi area of Lagos where the complainant, Mr. Nzube Ibezim, owns a shop.
According to Police, the complainant, Ibezim, had a disagreement with the suspect over an undisclosed matter. At night, when traders had locked their shops and left the market, the woman allegedly broke into the shop through the ceiling stark naked and was making incantations with some materials mentioning the name of the complainant.
However, before she would finish, she was caught by security guards and handed over to the Police at Akinpelu Division, who then detained her at the station for interrogation over her alleged conduct.
After interrogation, the Police found her culpable and consequently charged her before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence under the Criminal Laws of the State.
The charges read:
“That you, Blessing Potoki ‘f on the 3rd day of February, 2025 at Army Arena Market, Oshodi Lagos in the Lagos Magisterial district, did break and entered into a shop belonging to one Nzube Ibezim ‘m’ with intent to commit felony and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 307 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
COUNT II:” That you, Blessing Potoki ‘m’, on same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial district, did attempt to commit felony to wit stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
COUNT III: “That you, Blessing Potoki ‘m’, on same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial district, did conduct yourself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace by unlawfully breaking into a shop belonging to one Nzube Ibezime m’, through the ceiling while being stark naked and made incantations and hereby committed an offence contrary to Section 168 (d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
However, she pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Inspector Kokoye Olusegun, then asked the Court to give a date for hearing since she pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that she actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, O.O.Fagbohun, granted her bail in the sum of N100,000 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 till 4th March, 2025, for mention while the defendant was remanded in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when she will perfect her bail conditions.