Disu: Court remands 17 in police custody

•Lagos Assembly: check arms proliferation •Ashafa, APC condemn killing 

An Ebute-Metta Magistrate’s Court in Lagos yesterday granted the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) leave to remand in custody 17 suspects held for the killing of the Managing Director, Lekki Worldwide Investment Limited, Mr. Tajudeen Disu.

Gunmen attacked Disu on Monday at a peace mission to one of the communities in the Free Trade Zone area in Ibeju Lekki.

Ruling on an application by the prosecuting counsel for leave to remand the suspects, the Magistrate, Mrs Folashade Botoku, said: “Having listened to the arguments of both the prosecuting and the defence counsel, I quite agree with the defence on the issue of jurisdiction of this court to hear a case of murder.”

The magistrate, however, said what was before her was not a charge but an application to remand the suspects in custody to enable the police conduct thorough investigation.

According to her, Section 264 of the Administration of Criminal Justice 2011 (Sections 1 and 2) empowers the court to entertain such application.

On the application for bail as requested by the defence counsel, the magistrate said while Section 264 empowers the court to grant the leave to remand the suspects in custody, the same section does not empower the court to grant bail, since it lacks jurisdiction to hear murder case.

The prosecution counsel further argued that Section 27 of the Magistrate Court Law 2009 empowers the police to present before a magistrate court within a reasonable time person(s) arrested for murder.

He further argued that the court has the jurisdiction to grant the police an order to remand such suspects in custody for a minimum of 30 days.

The court ordered that Dele Ajayi; Tajudeen Jegede; Saidi Akanni; Oyelade Taiwo; Sunday Bulus; Abiola Ogunsanwo; Okunaya Stephen; Taiwo Gafar; Agunrege Banji; Gafaru Ahmed; Moses Okoro; Talabi Quadri; Ipaye Oriyomi; Quadri Yusuf and Tunde Yusuf be remanded in police custody for 30 days, pending further investigation.

Members of the House of Assembly yesterday observed a minute silence in his honour.

The Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, ordered the honour, following a motion on Matter of Urgent Public Importance moved by Rotimi Olowo (Somolu 1).

The House directed that a condolence letter be written by the Clerk, Ganiyu Abiru, to the family.

The lawmakers described the late Disu as a peace lover and committed patriot with genuine love for the development of Lagos.

They urged Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to arrest the perpetrators and address small arms proliferation in the state.

The House observed the growing problem of land grabbers (omo onile), saying it would pass into law the bill before it to address the menace.

Moshood Oshun (Lagos Mainland 2) berated the Baale (ruler) of the area for saying that his people were fighting for their land.

According to him, the Baale should by now be “behind bars for saying that they were fighting for their land after somebody had been killed”.

The senator representing Lagos East, Gbenga Ashafa and the All Progressives Congress (APC) condemned the killing.

Ashafa, in a statement, said: “The sad news of the untimely passing of my good friend, fellow progressive and fellow constituent reached me with shock.

“It shook me to the core as his loss leaves a huge gap amongst the tribe of intellectual and successful Lagosians.

“Disu was a visionary; a man who saw possibilities when others saw obstacles. It was his can-do spirit that gave needed impetus to the Lekki Free Trade Zone and many other laudable initiatives in the area.

“His passing proves that life is transient. It urges us all –leaders and followers – to do the best with every second granted us by the Almighty.

“The dearly departed has run his race and did his best. May Allah grant him Al-jannah Firdaus.”

The APC’s Publicity Secretary, Joe Igbokwe, urged security agents to arrest the killers.

In a statement, he said: “The killing portends grave danger to the effort to develop the state and country.

“We believe that the perpetrators are sworn enemies of progress.

“We believe that the law must exert maximum pressure to send the message that such extreme cases of bestiality are not tolerable under the new order evolving in Nigeria today.

“Disu was a tested and competent technocrat who had worked hard for the progress and development of Lagos.

“His commitment to the effort to provide a conducive environment for investments in Lagos is unquantifiable and his dreams of a Lagos that drives innumerable investments and limitless opportunities remain indelible.

“Lagos will miss this rounded technocrat.”