Lekki protest: Police arrest, charge 40 suspects for ‘breach of peace’

Forty suspects arrested for allegedly protesting at the Lekki Tollgate were Saturday arraigned before the Lagos State Mobile Court in Yaba.

The suspects including Answer Harrison, Adekanbi Kayode, Yemi Orungbamila, Anjorin Joseph Seye, Paul Terkuma, Dayo Keshinro, Belema Briggs, Anisere Sodiq, Olanrenwaju Gonta and Damilare Adenola were arraigned on three counts of conspiracy, conduct likely to cause breach of public peace and flouting the COVID-19 guidelines.

According to the charge sheet signed by prosecuting counsel, A.O. Adekunle, the defendants conspired amongst themselves to commit a misdemeanour to wit conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 412 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

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“That you the above-named defendants on the 13th of February, 2021 at Lekki Toll Plaza in the Yaba Magisterial District being a public place, gathered yourselves to harass and causing unnecessary alarm and panic in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 168 (1) (e) and punishable under Section 168 (2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

“That you the above-named Defendants on the 13th of February, 2021 at Lekki Toll Plaza in
the Yaba Magisterial District did fail to comply with the Restriction/Prohibition Quarantine
Law which prohibit any social gathering to avoid spreading and contacting of Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 5 of the Quarantine Act Q2 Law of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004 as domesticated under Public Health Law CH: P: Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015,” the charge read in parts.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges against them and were granted bail in the sum of N100,000 by the presiding magistrate.