Court remands community leader, three others for allegedly burying policeman alive

An Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court yesterday in Lagos ordered the remand of three men, who allegedly buried a policeman alive at Ebute Lekki community in Lagos.

The accused- Akeem Balogun, 51; Badiru Aroki, 66; and Shakiru Nasiru, 59- were arraigned alongside the Baale of Osoroko community in Ibeju-Lekki, Olusegun Oyiri, 61.

The pleas of the three accused men were not taken. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Magistrate, Mrs. A.O. Salawu, ordered that they should be kept at the Ikoyi Prisons, pending an advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

She adjourned until August 31 for ruling in the bail application of the community leader, while further hearing in the case of the three men was adjourned until September 21, this year.

Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, Fidelis Dike, told court that the three men committed the crime on November 29, last year at Osoroko. He alleged that the accused abducted the policeman, Sunday Musa, an Inspector, while he was on patrol duty in the community.

The policeman was whisked away to Ebute-Lekki, where his hands were tied to his back and then buried alive. Musa’s body was later discovered and exhumed, seven months after.

His completely decayed body was found together with his AK 47 rifle with two magazines and 30 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunitions. The items were recovered at the Baale’s house.

The offences contravene Sections 223 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. Section 223 stipulates death sentence on conviction.