Justice Daniel Osiagor of a Federal High Court, has fixed April 24, for the trial of three staff of Lagos State House of Assembly, who allegedly assaulted operatives of the State Security Services (SSS) who were invited to the assembly complex during the leadership crisis that happened on February 17.
Justice Osiagor fixed the date, after the three staff of the assembly, Ibrahim Olanrewaju, Adetu Adekunle and Fatimoh Adetola, were arraigned before the court and pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.
Operatives of the DSS had arraigned the three staff of the Assembly before the court in charge marked FHC/L/273C/2025.
The three defendants and others still at large, were alleged to have conspired among themselves to assault officers of the State Security Service while they were performing their official duties, without any reasonable excuse.
They were also alleged to have on February 17, 2025, aided and abetted by obstructing the officers of State Security Service while performing their official duty without any reasonable cause.
The three defendants were further accused of cyberstalking amongst themselves by recording and sending false information to social medial circulating same to the whole country for the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order amongst the people without any justification.
In particular, the DSS accused them of committing felony, by willful misdirection of electronic massages to social media for the purpose of embarrassing the State Security Service and its officials.
The duo of Ibrahim Olanrewaju, and Adetu Adekunle were accused of using Iphone 12 promax and Techno POP 8 to record false information and sent same to social media for circulation with the intention to cause an embarrassment to State Security Services, in order to cause breakdown of law and order to the public.
The offences, according to the prosecutor, Barrister M. O. Bajela, contravened sections 516 of the Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, as well as sections 27(1)(b), 24(1)(b), 24(c)(i), and 11 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended), 2024. charges bordering on conspiracy
However the three defendants denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them.
Following their not guilty plea, the prosecutor, Barrister Bajela asked the court for a trial date.
However, the defendants’ lawyer, Mr. Frank Eke, informed the court that he had filed their bail applications and same have been served on the prosecutor.
The lawyer described the prosecution of his clients as “collateral damages”.
He pleaded with the court to admit them to bail in the most liberal terms.
Responding, the prosecutor informed the court he was served with the bail application while in court today. He however, told the court that he leave the bail issues to court’s discretion.
Ruling on the bail application, Justice Osiagor admitted each of the defendants to N3 million with one surety each. The judge also ordered that the surety must be a Grade Level 12 and above.
The judge thereafter adjourned the defendants’ trial to June 24.
