An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Wednesday remanded three men, Ibrahim Waheed, 24, Quadri Olowoshile, 28 and Ganiyu Ogunsanya 27, in a correctional facility, for allegedly stealing expensive phones while armed with weapons.

The trio who reside at Lagos Island are being charged with conspiracy, armed robbery, stealing and belonging to a secret society.

The Magistrate, L.A Owolabi, did not take the plea of the trio for want of jurisdiction.

He, however, directed the police to return the case file to the office of the Director for Public Prosecution, for legal advice.

He adjourned the case until June 10, for mention.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, SP Josephine Ikhayere, told the court that the trio committed the offences on March 30 at 4:30p.m., along Glover and Tapper Street, Lagos Island, Lagos.

According to her, the accused robbed one Akanbi Rasheed of a Samsung A40 phone valued at N98, 000 and a vivo Y6 phone valued at N70, 000.

She said they also robbed one Risikat Hassan of her Redmi A3 phone valued at N150, 000.

Ms Ikhayere said that the second and third defendants belonged to a secret society called Eiye confraternity.

“The first defendant and others still at large belonged to another secret society called Aiye confraternity. By law they are proscribed as unlawful societies,” she told the court.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 297(1)(2) and 411 of the Criminal law of Lagos, 2012.

She said the offences were also punishable under section 2(3)(a)(b)(c) of the unlawful societies and cultism in Lagos State Law, 2021.

(NAN)