Court orders 13 Unilag students’ incarceration in Kirikiri over riot

The police on Saturday charged 13 students of the University of Lagos before a Special Offences Mobile Court in Oshodi, Lagos, for “unlawful invasion” of TVC television.

The accused are: Femi Adeyeye, Toni Aina, Kodri Yaya, Asimi Oladime, Ismahim Olalekan, Segun Okesola, Abdulazeez Soneye, Idris Abogunloko, and Muyiwa Olaniyi.

Others are; Toheed Oladimeji, Joseph Akanni, Lukumon Olusegun, and Abiodun Agbeniyi.

They are standing trial before Chief Magistrate P.E Nwaka, on two counts of unlawful invasion and disruption of activities.

They were arraigned at about 10.20 a.m. on Saturday.

The students pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Mr. Adeyeye is currently serving a four-semester rustication, handed down by the university last year, over a Facebook post criticising the school’s management.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt the students were protesting the rustication for two semesters of a visually-impaired student, Lawrence Success, for criticising the institution’s management.

They were arrested on Friday and charged to a mobile court on Saturday.

The magistrate ordered their remand at Kirikiri Prison pending their bail application and adjourned the case to April 6, for determination of their bail.

The police prosecuting counsel, Effiong Asuquo, the Officer in Charge, Legal, of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on March 31.

He said the accused had engaged in a “riotous invasion” of TVC television station in Lagos, protesting the alleged rustication of one of their students.

According to him, the students also invaded the main campus of the University of Lagos, Akoka, and had disrupted normal activities in the institution.

The prosecutor said the institution’s semester examination is scheduled to begin on April 3 (Monday) adding that the invasion by the students, was simply a ploy to stall the commencement of exams.

He said that the offence contravened the provisions of section 168 (1) (d), and section 2 of the Criminal Law, Laws of Lagos State, 2015?.

 

Source: Premium Times