CRIME NEWS (COVER STORY). THE SGN VOL.2. NO. 7.

FOUR OPC MEMBERS ARRESTED BY THE POLICE...

Four members of the renowned ethnic militia, Oodua People’s Congress, were on the 16th of September, 2009 brought before a Lagos State Magistrate Court for a 3-count charge. The members are males between the age bracket of 17years and 31years and their names are Wasiu Salami (30yrs); Moshood Olorunkemi Eta (18yrs); Kabiru Rafiu (25yrs); and Toheeb Kolawole (21yrs).

   They have been granted bail and the case is adjourned till 19th October, 2009.    The Prosecutor, from Panti State C.I.D, argued that these alleged criminals “committed an offence contrary to and Punishable  under section 517 of the Criminal Code, Cap 17, Vol. 2, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003; in the first count of the charge. In the second count, the Prosecutor proceeded to point out that these OPC members were on the 15th of September, 2009 “conducting themselves in such a manner, as to cause persons in the neighbourhood to fear on reasonable grounds that they would tumultuously disturb the peace and thereby committed an offence contrary to and Punishable under section 70 of the criminal code, cap 17, vol. 2, Laws of the Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003”. While he also proceeded to intimate the Court on the third Count that these men “are members of an unlawful society - Oodua Peoples Congress - OPC”. Thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 62 (2)(h) and Punishable under Section 64 (a) of the Criminal Code, Cap 17, Vol. 2, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003” To all these counts, the men pleaded “not guilty”. Tope Adebie, the IPO, substantiated the claims of the Prosecutor.

   The OPC leader, Otunba Gani Adams, you may recall was arrested on the 22nd of October 2005 and he was detained in Kuje Prisons in Abuja for 14 months allegedly for being in pocession of prohibited fire arms. Adams was also then charged for being a member of an “unlawful association - the OPC, in contradiction to and punishable under section 64 of the criminal code act. Otunba Gani Adams was on 29th December, 2006 quoted in a daily newspaper as saying that during the forceful stay in prison he was “diagnosed as having chronic rhino sinusitis” after he reportedly discovered that, he had a pain in the chest. Gani Adams’ case during the duration of his detention, was adjourned 17times. On December 23,2006. Adams reportedly said : “ I am full of thanks to the President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and indeed all other Nigerians who made my problem, theirs. I mean great people like Prof. Wole Soyinka, Governor Bola Tinubu of Lagos State and his Ogun Counterpart, Chief Gbenga Daniel, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (of blessed memory), Senator Ogunwale, Ambassador Segun Olusola. The list is endles and I want to thank all of them including my OPC members for their loyality”.

   Section 62 of the Criminal Code Cap “C38” and EFCC (Economic and Financial Crime Commission) Act defined a ‘Society’ as including any combination of ten or more persons whether the society  be known by any name or not. A society is then ‘UNLAWFUL’ according to the same section “if formed for ‘levying war or encouraging or assisting any person to levy war on the Government or the inhabitants of any part of Nigeria or (b) Killing or injuring or encouraging the killing or injuring or encouraging the destruction or injuring of any property or (d) Subverting or promoting the subversion of the Government or of its officials; or (e) Committing or inciting to acts of violence or intimidation; or interfering with or resisting, or encouraging interference with, or resisting, or encouraging interference with or resistance to the administration of law; or (g) Disturbing or encouraging the disturbance of peace and order in any part of Nigeria, or (h) If declared by an order of the President to be a society dangerous to the good government of Nigeria or of any part thereof. “

   Section 63 of the same Criminal Code, under “Managing an Unlawful Society” states that “any person who manages or assists in the management of an unlawful society is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment of seven years.”

   After all the Brouhahas of the legality of OPC, there is the need in 2009 to alert Nigerians of the through legal status of OPC in the Nigerian System of Justice otherwise those influential and well meaning people throwing their weight behind OPC may be found guilty of the Section 63 of the criminal code as explained above.

   In this regard, a call was placed from SOMOLU GLOBAL NEWS -The SGN (0803471-3725) on Sunday 20th September, 2009 at about 5:25pm to the phone number of Otunba Gani Adams. He was said to be in a meeting. The call was later returned from Gani ‘s number to The SGN and his aide advised that on the issue of the four OPC arraigned, we should speak to the Coordinator of that area. As  per the legal status of OPC, he said “we all know that OPC is legal.”     At 5:58pm on the same date, The SGN placed a call through to Arogundade S. Balogun, a CSO of the OPC and when he was requested to speak on the issues, he humbly requested to call back and he did at exactly 6pm. He requested to speak with Prince Foster Akinpelu, the Publisher of SOMOLU GLOBAL NEWS, The SGN; and Prince Akinpelu was handed the telephone. Arogundade explained that “OPC is duely and procedurally lawful”. “An Association with over 5million members” Arogundade stressed that “OPC is legit and that is evident in the way Ministers, Governors, Obas and even Presidents associate and support the Oodua People’s Congress.” Arogundade Sadam Balogun concluded that “even President Barack Obama knows that OPC exists in Nigeria”. When asked to comment on members of the group arrested on the 15th of  September, 2009; Arogundade said he was aware of the development and explained that he was happy that the law is taking its due process and as per those four members of the OPC, Sadam said he had warned the members severally of not going near places where drugs are sold or even smoked and also steer clear of trouble. He said “although the  members arrested were not smoking drugs but they should not have gone any where close to where such was going on thus I am happy because that will sound as a note of warning to all other members of the group not to be found wanting”. Aro Sadam, as he is popularly called, concluded that “the Law is no respecter of anybody”.