Court sentences 17 students to 6 years each for cultism

•Delta Police arrest suspected drug barons, cultists

Justice Umar Fadawu of Borno State High Court, Maiduguri, yesterday, sentenced 17 people to six years jail term each for cultism and conspiracy in the state.
  
The convicts, mostly students of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) and Ramat Polytechnic, were arrested by the police on September 21, 2019 at Bagani Hotel for being members of an unlawful society, the Black Axe.
 
They were sentenced to six years each for the two counts charge and will run concurrently.
  
They include Arnold Augustine, Onu Chidubem, David Emmanuel, Awuto Abayomi, Mustapha Abdulkadir, Lavi Ephraim and Onuegbu Godspower Chibuzor.
  
Others were Mohammed Adamu, Calvin Ijafiya, Chris Kallu, Totsi Yohanna, Samuel Talba, Donald Omguze and Joseph Olaiya.  
 

In his judgment yesterday, Justice Fadawu said: “There is evidence before this court that each of the suspects has committed the offences of conspiracy and initiation of others into the Black cult group.”
    
He said convicts were charged under Section 97 sub section B of the Penal Code, explaining that they were charged for initiating other members into the unlawful society.
  
Counsel to the convicts, Ahmed Hamman  said they have exhibited remorse and regrets and urged the court to temper justice with mercy, as they have learnt their lessons from their respective experiences.

Responding to the judgment, Borno State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Kaka Shehu Lawan, expressed delight with the court’s verdict.

MEANWHILE, Rapid Response team of the Delta State Police Command, yesterday raided black spots at Ugbuwangue in Warri and arrested three suspects in connection with 11 sachets of tramadol,  three bottles of codeine syrup, one sachet of swinol and 54 wraps of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp. 

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, who confirmed the arrest, gave their names as Abubakar Usman ‘m’ aged 30, Ibrahim Sani ‘m’ aged 28 and Mohammed Bello ‘m’ aged 24.
    
Edafe said that they were arrested about 2:30p.m. based on intelligence reports.
    
In a related development, the command on Monday, while on stop and search duty, arrested two suspected armed bandits along Ughelli – Warri road in Ughelli.
  
He explained that the Police intercepted the suspects’ Vento car marked UGH 14 ND with six occupants but two of the occupants, one Kelly Ogoja ‘m’ aged 35years of Adabrasa community, Okpe and Joseph Samuel ‘m’  26 of Osubi Community,  immediately jumped down and ran into a nearby bush.
 
“They were chased and arrested and upon searching them, one locally made pistol was recovered from one Kelly Ogoja,” adding that the suspects and exhibit are in custody.
 
Beside, he said, patrol teams attached to Oghara division have  arrested a 22 years old suspected cultist, one Davidson Umukoro along Ajagbodudu road in Oghara.
  
The suspect, who wore red berrett and red wrist watch, he said, confessed to be a member of vikings confraternity, while the duo of Awe Clever ‘m’ aged 38 and Iwaire Success ‘m’ aged 22  were arrested under palm trees close to Patos hotels in Oghara.
  
According to him, the suspects were wearing red caps and customised t-shirts when they were arrested by the Police, who are chasing those that escaped into the bush.

(Courtesy The Guardian: Excluding headline)