Man begs Ambode to save him from jail for destroying gov’t equipment

A 45-year-old man, Henry Agbor, arrested for allegedly conspiring with 44 other persons to set ablaze a tractor belonging to the Lagos State government, has appealed to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode not to send him to jail for his action.

The burnt tractor was allegedly occurred at Idansan Village, Ibeju, Lekki, Lagos, on Monday.

The accused, who included four women, were arraigned yesterday before Chief Magistrate Bola Osunsanmi of Court 4, Ikeja, on a four-count charge of arson, conspiracy, conduct likely to cause breach of peace and unlawful obstruction.

Agbor, a native of Abia State, appealed to the governor to temper justice with mercy, saying they were mobilised with different weapons by some operators of illegal shanties marked for demolition to carry out the act.

He said, “I will never attack any official nor destroy public property again in my life if pardoned by the government.”

The Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force, Olayinka Egbeyemi, said government officials were demolishing illegal shanties at Idansan Village when the accused and some other hoodlums attacked them and set fire to a tractor belonging to the government. He maintained that the owners/occupiers of the shanties had been served necessary notices and given many months to evacuate their belongings from the area to make way for Dangote Refinery.

Chief Magistrate Bola Osunsanmi remanded the accused persons in prison while the case was referred to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.