CITY NEWS Man, 42, may bag 15-year jail term for stolen 60,000 liters of diesel
Early morning fire outbreak on Friday wreaked havoc in Akobo Oju Irin market in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital as property worth millions naira were destroyed.
Our correspondent, who visited the market Friday morning, was harassed by military personnel who denied him access to take the photos of the affected shops.
Daily Trust gathered that the crew of the broadcasting corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) who visited the market earlier were also dealt with by the military officers in the market.
The fire according to a member of the community, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it began around 4:00a.m. from an electric spark in one of the shops, before it spread to other shops.
Though, there were no well constructed shops on the land belonging to the Nigeria Army in Odogbo Barracks, Ibadan but the portion of land allocated to petty traders by the Army were used to build plank and iron shops.
The marketers did not speak with our correspondent when he visited the market because of the fear of the military officers who are monitoring the affairs of the marketers.
Some of the items destroyed by fire according to a source are; food stuff, Plasma Television store, telephone accessory store, shoe and belt store.
A member of the community, Ishola Hammed said he was in the area around 6:00a.m. and the soldiers prevented people from entering the market because they wanted Ibadan Electric Distribution Company to switch off the light to avoid casualty.
The chairman of the Akinyele South Development Area who visited the area on Friday, Olumide Alli described the incident as unfortunate.”
All efforts to speak with the chairman of the market was proved abortive as his phone numbers were unreachable.
A42-year-old businessman, Akintola Olalekan, may be jailed 15-years for allegedly obtaining 60,000 litres of diesel worth N6.5 million under false pretense.
Olalekan was on Friday brought before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.
The accused, whose address is unknown, is facing a three-count charge of obtaining commodity under false pretense, issuance of dishonored cheque and stealing.
Olalekan, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The accused committed the offences in Mushin, Lagos, sometime in October, Police Prosecutor Onaiwu Iyobosa, told the court. She said the accused convinced the complainant, Alhaja Bilikisu Balogun, to sell the diesel to him on the pretense that he would supply prospective buyers and remit the proceeds to him.
Iyobosa said Olalekan issued a Fidelity Bank cheque for N3.5 million which was dishonoured on presentation at the bank for insufficient funds.
According to her, the offences contravene Sections 280, 314 and 321 (b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Section 314 prescribes a 15-year jail term for obtaining money under false pretences.
Chief Magistrate Olalekan AkaBashorun, however, granted the accused bail of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case until Oct.18 for trial.