Police arraign 13 ex-NUPENG leaders over ‘assault’ on union’s president

Thirteen former leaders in the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) have been arraigned over alleged assault.

They are Lucky Osesua, former PTD chair; Dayyabu Garga, Osesua’s deputy; Akinolu Olabisi, Godwin Nwaka, Taimiyu Sikiru, Abdulmumin Shaibu, John Amajuoyi, Zaira Aregbo, Patrick Erhivwor, Stephen Ogheneruemu, Gift Ukponku, and Sunday Ezeocha.

They were arraigned over an attack on Williams Akporeha, NUPENG’s president; Wale Afolabi, the union’s general secretary; and Augustine Egbon, the new chair of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD).

Egbon had just been elected the new PTD chair when hoodlums attacked him and Akporeha at the NUPENG headquarters in Abuja about two weeks ago.

The police initially arrested Osesua and Garga over the attack, but have now filed criminal charges against them and the 11 aforementioned persons in a suit marked CR/042/2023.

At a high court in Abuja on Friday, they all pleaded “not guilty” to a five-count charge filed by the police.

Thereafter, Frank Longe, prosecution counsel, asked the court for a date to commence the trial of the defendants.

Chris Oshomogie, counsel to the defendants, orally applied for bail for his clients but Yusuf Halilu, the judge, rejected it, saying Oshomogie should file a bail application.

Some of the counts read: “That you Lucky Osesua, Humble Obinna, Dayyabu Yusuf Garga, Akinolu Olabisi, Godwin Nwaka, Tiamiu Sikiru, Abdulmumin Shaibu, John Amajuoyi, Zaira Aregbo, Patrick Erhivwor, Stephen Ogheneruemu, Gift Ukponku and Sunday Ezeocha on the 1st of November, 2023, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to cause breach of peace, laid siege at the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) office at No. 50 Moses Majekodenmi Crescent , Utako District against one Comrade Williams Akporeha, Comrade Olawale Afolabi, Comrade Solomon Kilanko & Comrade Augustine Egbon and you thereby commit an offence punishable under Section 114 of the Penal Code Act, 2004.

“That you Lucky Osesua, Humble Obinna, Dayyabu Yusuf Garga, Akinolu Olabisi, Godwin Nwaka, Tiamiu Sikiru, Abdulmumin Shaibu, John Amajuoyi, Zaira Aregbo, Patrick Erhivwor, Stephen Ogheneruemu, Gift Ukponku and Sunday Ezeocha on the 1st of November, 2023, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did act in a manner likely to cause the death of one Comrade Wiliams Akporeha & Comrade Augustine Egbon and you thereby commit an offence punishable under Section 229 of the Penal Code Act, 2004.”

The court adjourned the matter till November 21 for the commencement of trial.