An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on Friday ordered the remand of three men charged with unlawful possession of a gun and robbing four persons of their cell phones.

The defendants were Olayemi Ajayi, 22, apprentice; Kudus Olawale, 22, barber; and Wasiu Nurudeen, 20, a mechanic.

The police charged the defendants, who are residents of the Ojo area of Lagos State, with conspiracy, unlawfully possession of a gun and robbery.

Magistrate O.A. Odunbanjo, who did not take the defendants’ plea, ordered that they should be remanded in Kirikiri Correctional Centre.

Odunbanjo, however, directed the police to send the case file to the Director of Public Prosecution for advice.

She adjourned the case until March 16 for DPP’s advice.

The prosecution counsel, Sgt. Olasunkanmi Adejumola, told the court that the defendants and others still at large, committed the offences on Dec. 4, 2021, on Oke-Agbo Road, Ojo, Lagos State.

He said that the defendants, who were armed with guns and other dangerous weapons, robbed Mr Samuel Aluko, Chidi Ifionu, Haruna Balogun and Mrs Bukky Jimoh of their cell phones.

He said when the defendants were arrested, two guns and other dangerous weapons were recovered from them.

He said the offences violated sections 297, 298 and 299 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Section 297 prescribes 21 years’ jail term for armed robbery, while Section 298(3) attracts 14 years for unlawful possession of a gun.

-NAN