Court releases 8 market leaders after 120 days in detention

Eight leaders of the Araromi/ Ile-Epo-Oke-Odo Market in Alimosho Local Government, Lagos, who had been in prison custody since April 13, 2018 have been released after a Federal High Court, Lagos, granted them bail.

The market leaders are Livinus Njoku, 54; Lawal Dan Galadima, 54; Tafeek Olanikami, 83; Musa Mohammed, 56; Nasdir Adamu Ango, 42; Falano Williams, 74; Musiliu Anobi, 30; and Obi Ndubuisi.

The police had arrested the leaders and remanded them in their custody for allegedly opposing and stopping the redevelopment and reconstruction of the Araromi/ Ile-Epo market.

Justice Chuka Obiozor, a vacation judge, granted all the market leaders bail after their pleas were taken on a threecount charge bordering on wilful destruction of government properties, threat to kill Adeyanju and Haruna Ismail, Directors of Jenrich Nigeria Limited who were awarded the contract by Alimosho LGA to reconstruct the motor park in the market, and assault on Taofeek Yusuf and Isa Owonikoko.

But the market leaders pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following their pleas of innocence to the charges, their lawyers, M. O. Atanda, Dele Falana, and Felix Olatunji, pleaded with the court to grant their clients bail in the most liberal terms.

Atanda particularly told the court that they had earlier obtained an order from Justice Okiki-Olu Igile of a Lagos High Court in a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by his clients against the police wherein the judge ordered that all the market leaders be released forthwith.

Atanda also told the court they were once on the verge of securing the release of the market leaders from prison custody when the police filed another charge before Justice Ayotunde Faji of the Federal High Court, Lagos, and that since the filing of the charge, the police had not appeared in court to arraign the defendants.

Responding, the prosecutor, Assistant Commissioner of Police Simon Lough urged the court to discountenance the defendants’ bail applications, arguing their lawyers had not presented before the court good reasons why the applications should be granted bail.

Justice Obiozor said a High Court had earlier ordered that all the defendants be released, which was not challenged by the prosecution.