The Chief Magistrate Court in Yola, Adamawa State, has sentenced eight individuals to 10 years imprisonment each over the vandalism and theft of critical airport infrastructure.
Presiding over the case, Chief Magistrate Mohammed Njidda found the defendants guilty on five counts: criminal conspiracy, criminal trespass, mischief, theft, and dishonestly receiving stolen property.
Those convicted are Tamakai Augustine (19), Remember Markus (22), Junior Livinus (22), Salvation Bosom (18), Sunday Bulus (18), Geoffrey Karuni (18), Salvation Amos, and Jude Anthony.
Each convict received seven years in prison or a N250,000 fine for mischief related to the destruction of electricity and telecommunications facilities. They were also handed two years without an option of fine for theft, one year or N25,000 fine for criminal conspiracy, and six months or N25,000 for criminal trespass. All eight pleaded guilty during their arraignment, except for a seventh defendant, 45-year-old Augustine Stephen, who pleaded not guilty. His case was adjourned for ruling.
Two other suspects, identified as Suleiman Ibrahim and Yusuf Adamu, remain at large.
According to the prosecutor, Inspector S.S. Nicholas, the convicts committed the offence on July 23, 2024, when they unlawfully entered the airport premises in Yola North LGA and stole 9kg of copper wire, later sold to Suleiman Ibrahim for N81,000.
GUARDIAN
