Twenty persons, who allegedly caused the February 19 riot at Oshodi, Lagos State were on Monday arraigned by the police.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that five teenagers and 15 men were arraigned in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court presided over by Magistrate Akeem Fashola.
The teenagers were Alagbe Kehinde, 18; Ayeni Oluwasegun, 19; Kasali Tunde, 19; Babatunde Sodiq, 19; and Olawale Soliu, 19.
The other defendants included Abiodun Adeleke, 31; Segun Owoseni, 24; Ojo Moruf, 23; Oguntade Sunday, 23; Segun Adeniyi, 20; Dare Abiodun, 23; and Femi Bode, 23.
Others were Segun Adewale, 23; Hamzat Ibrahim, 20; Samson Oluwatade, 27; Anifowose John, 27; Wasiu Adebayo, 20; Yusuf Salami, 23; Ibrahim Saka, 20; and Adejoku Rasheed, 21.
They are facing a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy, riot, unlawful possession of a cutlass, stealing and destroying property.
The prosecutor, Corporal Kehinde Olatunde, said the defendants caused the riot at about 6pm and stole over 80 different kinds of cell phones belonging to one Adekunle Adebayo.
The defendants were also accused of being in unlawful possession of a cutlass and willfully damaging a Mazda bus marked MUS 07 XC.
Olatunde said the bus, valued at N2 million, belonged to one Akinwale Aluko.
He said their offences contravened sections 285 (1) and 348 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
NAN reports that Section 348 prescribes two years imprisonment for anyone convicted of willful damage to property while 285 provides a three-year jail term for stealing.
The magistrate granted the defendants bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case to March 24 for mention.
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