An 18-year-old, Fred Minima, was yesterday charged before an Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly belonging to a dreaded cult, Badoo, which has terrorised residents of Ikorodu town in Lagos for several months. Minima, who resides at Akala area of Mushin, is facing a threecount charge of attempted kidnap, belonging to an unlawful society and stealing.
Th e accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges, but the police prosecutor, Maria Dauda, insisted that he committed the off ences on July 26 at 11.10 am at No. 25 Akinola St; Mushin. Dauda said the accused, who had the logo of the cult on his left hand, allegedly entered the premises of a nursery and primary school in Mushin with the intention to kidnap some pupils. She said the accused also stole some phones before he proceeded to attack the pupils. “He was caught by the security guard, who handed him over to the police.”
Th e off ences contravened Sections 21, 42 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised). Th e News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 stipulates a three-year jail term for off enders, while kidnapping off ences in Lagos State attract a penalty of life imprisonment or capital punishment. Th e Magistrate, O.A. FoweweErusiafe, in her ruling, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50, 000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case to August 29 for mention
