5 men arraigned for stealing cables worth ₦2m

Joseph Agbaje, 18; Tyoumbur Aondaoku, 25; Emmanuel Uma, 25; Shedrach Hassan, 18; and Anthony Richard, 26 have beeen identified as the culprits.

They are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and theft. The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecutor, ASP Rita Momah, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on February 1, at the Dangote refinery plant, Akodo town in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos.

Momah said the defendants stole 50 pieces of segmented armoured cables and assorted cables valued at N2 million belonging to the company.

She said that when they were loading it out of the refinery, some workers noticed that they were not staff of the company.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened sections 411 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 stipulates a three-year jail term for stealing, while 411 provides for two years imprisonment for conspiracy.

Chief Magistrate Adeola Adedayo granted each of the defendants’ bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties each in like sum.

Adedayo said that the sureties must be gainfully employed and show evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

She adjourned the case until March 16, for mention.