Three men on Thursday appeared before a Gudu Upper Area Court in Abuja, charged with unlawful possession of firearms, criminal conspiracy and attempted armed robbery.

The accused, Abubakar Mohammed, 28, of Madalla Village in the FCT; Shehu Ibrahim, 23, and Isiaka Yusuf, 24, both of Dakwa Village in Niger State, each pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge.

The prosecutor, Babajide Olanipekun, told the court that a team from the State Anti-Robbery Squad, while on routine patrol on Dakwa Road, Zuba, in the FCT, arrested the accused inside a bush while conspiring to rob one Ibrahim Gambo.

Olanipekun said the police recovered a locally-made gun in their possession during a search.

He said that the offences committed contravened Sections 97(2), 299 of the Penal Code Law and 27(1)(c)(i) of Fire Arm Act, LFN, 2004.

The Judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000 each, with a reliable surety each.

Kagarko said that the sureties must be resident within the court’s jurisdiction.

He adjourned the case till April 6 for hearing.