Two men remanded for murder of customs officer

Motojehi Ige

An Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court has ordered the remand of two men, Afeez Agate, 22 and Toheeb Salami, 26, for the death of a customs officer, Motojehi Ige.

The police told the court that the two defendants were part of a mob that killed Ige by giving him machete wound on August 29, 2013.

According to reports, the late Superintendent of Customs was killed in retaliation for the death of a 35-year-old man, Saturday Joel, who was allegedly shot by officials of the Nigerian Customs Service.

It was reported that Joel was hit by a stray bullet while some customs officers were trying to apprehend a motorist who was smuggling a red Volkswagen bus from Benin Republic into Nigeria.

Some residents had taken to the streets to protest the death.

However, Ige, was said to have been driving by at the time when the angry mob dragged him out of his Toyota Corolla car marked ABJ 663 DW, and killed him.

The irate mob was also said to have allegedly set Ige’s vehicle ablaze.

The police told the court that Agate and Salami were part of the mob that killed Ige and burnt his office.

The accused allegedly made away with 25 bags of rice, a generator, and other valuable property belonging to the Nigeria Customs Service.

The police added that the duo set ablaze a Hilux van with Reg. No. CS 152A, while the Toyota Corolla car worth N2m was also destroyed.

The two vehicles were said to be owned by the deceased customs officer.

The defendants were arraigned on eleven counts of murder, arson, stealing, malicious damage, rioting, unlawful assembly, disorderly conduct and intimidation.

The charge read in part, “That you, Afeez Agate, and Toheeb Salami, and other at large on the 29th day of August, 2013 around 9am, at Seme Town, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit murder.

“That you, Afeez Agate, and Toheeb Salami, on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid magisterial District did unlawfully kill a customs officer, SC Motojehi Jethro Ige, by giving him several machete cuts.

“That you, Afeez Agate, and Toheeb Salami, on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid magisterial District did steal the following items: 25 bags of rice, one generator and other assorted items, value yet to be ascertained, property of the Nigeria Customs Service.”

The prosecutor, Inspector Asup Feddy, said the offences were punishable under Sections 231, 221, 409, 339(a)(c), 285, 348, 45, 410, 44(1), 166(d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.

No plea was taken for the murder charges.

Feddy applied that the defendants be remanded in prison custody due to the nature of the offences.

The magistrate, Mr. E.O Ogunkanmi ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Ikoyi prison custody pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution.

The matter was adjourned till November for DPP’s advice.

#punch