Thirty men suspected to be members of an unlawful society called “Black Axe” were on Wednesday arraigned in a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.
The accused are; Ibrahim Taiwo, 19; Ariyo Toheeb, 19; Olasupo Solomon, 19; Adam Oloko, 19; Azeez Lukmon, 20; Agboola Olaoluwa, 19; Taiwo Oyedeji, 42; Imeh Wisdom, 21; Aruna Waheed, 31, and Ogunkoya Peter, 25.
Others are; Jimoh Ibrahim, 47; Oluwasegun Temitope, 38; Quadri Kalejaiye, 19; Yinka Bolaji, 30; Agbaje Ridwon, 26; Victor Chibuzi, 28; Ogunyemi Sunday, 20; Toheeb Ojerinde, 19; Adesuyi Andrew, 22; and Obayomi Adeoye, 45.
Also accused are; Akeem Ogunmola, 24; Mega Emmanuel, 26; Fashawe Davis, 26; Olugbode Gbenga, 37; Sunday Adesanya, 19; Shittabe Olalekan, 19; Rotimi Ogunyemi, 19; Jamiu Bolaji, 32; Odenero Cuple, 49 and Kadri Ibrahim, 19.
The accused were arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy and belonging to unlawful society.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Modupe Olaluwoye, told the court that the accused committed the offences on June 6, at 11: p.m. at Igbogbo Area of Ikorodu, Lagos State.
Olaluwoye said the accused were arrested alongside 40 other men suspected to be members of black axe cult.
She said they were assembling for their yearly cult celebration scheduled to hold on June 7.
“The Anti Cultism Unit of the Police received an information of the programmed event and laid an ambush for them,” Olaluwoye said.
The offences contravened sections 42 and 411 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 42 prescribes three years imprisonment for the offence of joining an unlawful society while Section 411 provides two years for conspiracy.
However, all the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and they were granted bail in the sum of N50,000 each with one surety in like sum.
The Magistrate, Oluwatoyin Oghere, said that the surety must be a blood relation, gainfully employed and must show evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
Oghere adjourned the case until Oct. 3, for mention.
