Court remands 12 men for allegedly killing CSP Abonde

A Yaba Magistrates’ Court in Sabo, Lagos State, has remanded 12 men for the alleged murder of a police officer, CSP Kazeem Abonde, during a raid on motorcycle riders operating in restricted areas.

The defendants are: Imurana Mohammed, 22; Yahaya Sefiyanu, 26; Umar Musa, 20; Danladi Aziga, 25; Ogbole Mohammed, 23; Haruna Ismail, 23; and Abubakar Talla, 25.

Others are: Sahab Adam, 28; Oseni Hassan, 23; Sulaimon Usman, 21; Ibrahim Mohammed, 23; and Kigbu Oga, 30.
They are facing a three-count charge of conspiracy to murder, murder and attempt to murder.

They were charged before Magistrate O.Y. Adefope on Wednesday.

The prosecutor attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba, Augustine Nwabuisi, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on September 23, on Ajao Estate, Lagos.

He said that the defendants killed CSP Abonde who was on official duty to enforce a ban on use of motorcycles in restricted areas.

According to him, the defendants used dangerous weapons to attack the police officer until he became unconscious and later died.

Mr Nwabuisi applied for a 30-day remand of the defendants, saying that the police had concluded investigation in the case and the case file sent to the state Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice.

He added that some of the defendants made confessional statements during interrogation at a police station.

Counsel, Spurgeon Ataene, I.B. Ahmad and Yilja Jibril appeared for the defendants.

They urged the court to disregard the remand application and release the defendants on bail.

The magistrate ordered that the defendants should be kept for 30 days at the Ikoyi Custodial Centre pending advice from the DPP.
She adjourned the case until Dec. 21 for mention.