The Lagos State Police have begun arraigning all suspected hoodlums who were arrested in connection with the crisis that rocked the state following the Lekki tollgate shootings at #EndSARS protesters by soldiers.
520 suspects were reportedly arrested in relation to arson, murder, stealing and assault by the police authority.
READ ALSO: Oba of Lagos retrieves staff as culprit allegedly died mysteriously
According to Muyiwa Adejobi, the Police Public Relation Officer, he said that over 200 of the arrested 520 suspects had been arraigned.
It was however gathered, that the suspects were sent back to the police custody instead of being remanded in prison after their arraignment in court.
It was alleged that the Nigeria Custodial Service were unwilling to take the suspects into their facility owing to shortage if space and the fear of COVID-19.
In a statement by the PPRO, “We have commenced the arraignment of the 520 suspected hoodlums. We have been sharing the suspects to various facilities because it is a state command’s case and the state command has the right to keep the suspects in any of our stations.”
READ ALSO: Presidential Panel indicts 16 SARS operatives for murder in 5 States
Adejobi said rejecting of suspects by the custodial centre was not peculiar to the suspected hoodlums.
He said, “The procedure is that whenever we charge suspects to court, they are always remanded in police facilities because of COVID 19. So, the next thing we do is to get them tested for COVID-19 after which they would be received at the correctional centres.”
When contacted, the spokesman for the Nigeria Correctional Service in Lagos, Rotimi Oladokun, said he was not aware that the suspected hoodlums were turned back, but said there was a standing rule that suspects must first run COVID-19 test before being admitted into correctional facilities.
Oladokun said, “We have an understanding with all critical stakeholders in the administration of criminal justice in Lagos State. Once the court gives an order for remand, the Lagos State Government conducts COVID-19 test on them. Once they get negative result, they bring them to us. Those who test positive, the government takes them to the treatment centre and upon a negative result, they bring them to the custodial centre.
“The issue of rejection does not arise. That is not factual.”
For the latest Nigerian news and updates, follow us on Facebook and Instagram
