A 22-year-old man, Friday Nwaboyi, has been remanded in the Ikoyi Correctional Centre for stealing a three-year-old child, Suraji Abdulkadiri.
The decision was made by a Magistrate Court sitting in Yaba, Lagos State after the suspect was arraigned on two counts bothering conspiracy and child stealing.
The prosecutor, Thomas Nurudeen, told the court that Nwaboyi’s offence contravened Sections 411 and 277 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.
The charge read in part, “That you, Friday Nwaboyi, and others at large, on February 26, 2023, around 6.45 pm at No 21 Ireti Owoseni Street, Ijora Badia, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District did unlawfully steal one Suraji Abdulkadiri, aged three-year-old, to an unknown destination and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 277 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.”
The charge was read out to the defendant in English.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges, but his plea was not taken.
Nurudeen, therefore, requested that he be remanded in the correctional centre pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution.
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Granting the request, Magistrate P. E. Nwaka ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending legal advice from the DPP.
The case was adjourned till June 6, 2023.
Meanwhile, the Federal Road Safety Corps, has blamed excess speed for the death of 15 people that died in a fatal crash that occurred in Enugu State on Saturday.
This was according to a statement by the Corps Public Education Officer, FRSC, Bisi Kazeem, on Sunday.
Kazeem quoted the Corps Marshal, FRSC, Dauda Biu, as advising against night trips, adding that the corps is ready to end all speed-induced crashes.
The statement read, “The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Dauda Biu, has for the umpteenth time advised the motoring public to avoid night trips due to the dangers that come with it; while reaffirming the readiness and determination of the Corps to bring to an end, all speed-induced crashes as he puts machinery in motion towards re-jigging operational strategies for positive results.
“This came following a considerable increase in speed-related crashes and fatalities recorded in recent times, particularly the fatal crash that occurred at exactly 8.20pm on Saturday, April 8, 2023, at 0.45km before the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku, Ozalla in Enugu State.
“The crash involved a Toyota Hiace commercial bus and a Mercedes Benz truck with number plate AAA264XR. A total of 15 people, comprising 13 occupants on board the Toyota Hiace and two occupants in the Mercedes truck were all killed and burnt beyond recognition.
“The report revealed that the fatal crash was caused by excessive speed and route violation which is driving against traffic popularly referred to in local parlance as ‘one way.’”