16th December, 2010
The police at Orile Police Division, Orile, Lagos, south west Nigeria, have arrested  a 25-year old Habeeb Mohammed, who is alleged to have been vandalising telecommunication cables around Orile-Oshodi axis for a long time.
The police alleged the suspect was arrested with bundles of NITEL cables which he admitted was dug out from underground along Mile 2-Oshodi expressway at Orile bus stop on his way to sell them.
He was charged before the Surulere Magistrate’s Court on a one-count charge of unlawful possession of Nitel cabkes, an offence punishable under Section 430 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 17, Vol. II laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.
The one-count charge read that Habeeb Mohammed on 5 December, 2010 at about 2 p.m. at Orile Igamu in Lagos magisterial district did unlawfully be in possession of telecommunication cables belongings to Nitel.
The suspect pleaded not guilty to the charge and the magistrate, T. O. Gbajumo granted him bail in the sum of N40,000 with two surety in the like sum.
The magistrate also directed that the sureties must be blood relations with means of livelihood and identity cards and adjourned the matter till 24 January, 2011.
—Paul Iyoghojie