The Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday arraigned a tractor driver, Isiaka Abdullahi, for allegedly damaging the property of two businessmen worth N320m in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

The 72-year-old man was arraigned before Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun of Yaba Magistrates’ Court on four counts of wilful damage.

Abdulahi was alleged to have driven his tractor into the Mile 13 Owode Elede Market in Ikorodu and destroyed bananas and other properties and goods belonging to Garba Mohammed and Adewale Teluwo.

The prosecutor, ASP Amedu Adoga, told the court that the defendant committed the offence in December 2022.

Adoga added that the offences contravened Sections 411, 350, 52 and 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015.

The charge read in part, “That you, Isiaka Abdulahi, and others now at large, on December 1, 2022, at Mile 13 Owode Elede along Ikorodu Road, Lagos, within the magisterial district of this court did conspire to commit felony to wit; wilful damage to property of one Adewale Teluwo valued at N300m, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria 2015.

“That you, Isiaka Abdulahi, and others now at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did wilfully destroy bananas belonging to one Garba Muhammed of Seriki Plantain Market, valued at N20m, by driving a caterpillar into the premises of Mile 13 Owode Elede Market, Ikorodu, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 350 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.”

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The magistrate granted him bail in the sum of N5m with two sureties in like sum.

Olatunbosun adjourned the case till November 20, 2023, for mention. (The PUNCH)

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