The Oyo State Police Command has arraigned a councillor, Seriki Idris, and two others before an Iyaganku Chief Magistrate’s Court in Ibadan over alleged land grabbing and encroachment.

Idris, who represents Ward 8, Onireke, in the South-West Local Council of Oyo State, was docked alongside Adebayo Lateef, 25, and Jimoh Lateef, 30.

The trio face charges of conspiracy, stealing, assault, malicious damage, land grabbing, illegal encroachment and conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace. They pleaded not guilty to all counts.

The prosecutor, Sgt Akeem Akinloye, told the court that the defendants and others still at large allegedly conspired to commit the offences on February 2.

He alleged that they forcefully encroached on railway property located at Ago-Tailor (Mile 110), Odo-Ona area of Ibadan, said to belong to the Nigerian Railway Corporation and leased to an Ibadan-based lawyer, Mr Olusegun Abayomi.

According to the prosecution, the defendants threatened violence in a bid to take over the land and damaged structures on the property.

Akinloye further alleged that they assaulted Oluwatoyin Adegoke by slapping and punching her and pointing a gun at her.

He told the court that electrical wires, fittings and other materials valued at over N10 million, belonging to Abayomi, were allegedly stolen from the premises.

The prosecutor also alleged that several lengths of railway tracks, steel sleepers, signals and telecommunication poles belonging to the Nigerian Railway Corporation were unlawfully removed.

He said the defendants acted in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace by preventing the complainant from accessing the leased property.

The offences, he said, contravene Sections 383 and 516, punishable under Sections 249(D), 351, 390(9) and 451 of the Criminal Code Laws of Oyo State, 2000, as well as Sections 7 and 9 of the Oyo State Real Properties Protection Law, 2016.

Defence counsel, Mr Martin Achugbue, urged the court to grant the defendants bail on liberal terms.

Ruling on the application, Chief Magistrate Olabisi Ogunkanmi admitted each defendant to bail in the sum of N7.5 million, with two sureties each in like sum.

She directed that one surety must be a landed property owner with a valid Certificate of Occupancy and survey documents, while the other must be a blood relative of each defendant.

The case was adjourned to April 16 for hearing.