Police arraign 50 FUNNAB students over protest

FIFTY students of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNNAB),were on Friday, arraigned by Police before a Magistrates’ Court 1, in Abeokuta.

The students were arrested in connection with a peaceful protest that turned violent, over incessant armed robbery attacks on some hostels within the university’s host communities.

The students who were conveyed to the court in many vehicles, were arraigned on a six-count charge ranging from arson, riot, malicious damage of property and taking part in unlawful assembly.

The protest, Saturday Tribune recalls, resulted  in the of several vehicles, including that of an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mr.  Ariyo Adejuwon.

Four vehicles were also burnt while a police post was equally set ablaze by the students.

Forty-three of the suspects were charged in a Suit No. MA/429c/2016 while the remaining were charged in Suit No. MA/430c/2016. They were all charged with the same offences.

Police prosecutors  Sunday Eigbejiale and Emmanuel Kayode said that the students committed the offences at Camp Area of the state capital.

The prosecutors told the court that the offences are punishable under section 516(a), 443(a), 70, 71 and 451 of Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006.

The suspects, represented before the court by different counsel,  all pleaded not guilty to the offences.

A  counsel,  Bunmi Adelabu, on behalf of others presented bail applications before Magistrate Sofowora Oriyomi.

Oriyomi  told the court that the accused person were presumed innocent until otherwise proven by the court.

However,  the police prosecutors opposed to the bail applications.

Sofowora admitted the accused persons to bail with N100, 000 each with two sureties in like sum.