Wakili: 3 OPC members charged with arson, murder, remanded

An Chief Magistrate in Iyaganku, Ibadan, Olaide Hamzat, on Wednesday, ordered that three members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) who arrested Abdullahi Isikilu Wakili in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State be remanded in Abolongo Correctional Centre for alleged arson.

The three OPC members were arrested by the police after they nabbed Wakili and three others.

The three OPC members identified as Awodele Adedigba, 45; Dauda Kazeem, 38, and Hassan Ramon, 33, were involved in the recent arrest of alleged Ibarapa kidnap kingpin, Wakili.

The police levelled three counts of conspiracy, murder and arson against the suspects. The prosecution counsel, Insp Opeyemi Olagunju, told the court that the suspects on March 7, at about 8am at Kajola village, Ayete, allegedly caused the death of a 45-year-old woman.

He said that Awodele, Dauda and Hassan set fire on the house of Wakili, causing damage of N5million.

The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of sections 316, 324, 443 and 516 of the Criminal Code of Oyo State 2000. The Chief Magistrate, Mr Hamzat, who did not take the plea of the suspects for want of jurisdiction, ordered that they be remanded in Abolongo Correctional facility, Oyo town.

Hamzat ordered the police to return the case file to the office of the Oyo State Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).

He adjourned the matter till 21 April for mention.