A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has ordered the remand of 13 members of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) in Kuje prison for the alleged attempted murder of the national president of NUPENG, Williams Akporeha, and two others.
The 13 defendants were remanded in prison by Justice Yusuf Halilu after their arraignment on a five-count criminal charge on Friday evening.
They were put on trial by the Inspector General of Police for allegedly beating up Akporeha and Wale Afolabi, respectively, NUPENG’s president and general secretary, and the recently elected national chairman of PTD, Augustine Egbon.
Those arraigned include former national chairman of PTD, Lucky Osesua, his deputy, Dayyabu Yusuf Garga, Humble Obinna, Akinolu Olabisi, Godwin Nwaka, and Tiamiu Sikiru.
The rest are Abdulmimin Shaibu, John Amajuoyi, Zaira Aregbo, Patrick Erhivwor, Stephen Ogheneruemu, Gift Ukponku, and Sunday Ezeocha.
According to the case (marked FCT/HC/CR/042/2023), the defendants, on November 1, 2023, laid siege at the PTD office at No. 50 Moses Majekodunmi Crescent, Utako District, against Akporeha, Afolabi, Solomon Kilanko, and Augustine Egbon and committed an offence punishable under Section 114 of the Penal Code Act, 2004.
They were charged of acting in a manner likely to cause the deaths of Akporeha and Egbon, a crime punishable under Section 229 of the Penal Code Act, 2004.
They were also accused of voluntarily causing grievous bodily harm to their victims.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the accusations, after which the prosecution lawyer, Frank Longe, sought for a date to begin their trial.
Lead counsel to the defendants, Chris Oshomogie, SAN, orally sought for the bail of his clients, saying that the acts they allegedly committed are bailable.
However, the judge rejected the oral bail motion, ordered him to file a final application and adjourned until November 21 for trial.
Justice Yusuf ordered that the 13 defendants be sent to Kuje jail in Abuja on remand awaiting the resolution of their motion for bail.