Lagos — A Lagos Federal High Court,Thursday ordered six accused persons to be remanded in prison custody for alleged vandalisation of an oil pipeline, and murder of three Engineers of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)

The accused namely; Joel Inerepamu, Rueben Oluwole, John Isaiah, Ineye Okposa, Timi Gunugunu, and Olisa Saheed were slammed with a seven-count charge of unlawful vandalisation of oil pipeline, and murder.

They all pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.

Presiding Judge, Justice Mohammed Idris ordered that they be remanded in prison pending the trial date which he fixed for December 18, this year.

The prosecutor, Mr.Toyin Ibadin had filed an application to the court to remand the accused in prison pending trial.

He told the court that as a result of the nature of the charge against the accused, it was right for the trial to follow due sequence.

Ibadin told the court that the accused had on September 5, at about 6pm at Arepo, near Ikorodu, a suburb of Lagos, conspired to vandalise an NNPC oil pipeline located in the vicinity.

According to him,the accused had vandalised the pipeline and scooped out large quantities of petroleum products for illegal sales.

He also told the court that at the sight of Engineers from the NNPC, assigned to the area, for the purpose of maintaining NNPC oil pipelines, the accused who were already armed with guns, (in case of any resistance), opened fire at them (Engineers).

He said the Engineers were then allegedly shot dead by the accused. He gave the names of the deceased are: Engr. Agbako, Earnest Ngene, and Ikedichi Ekeleme.

The offences contravened sections 3(6), 7(b), and 17(a) of the Miscellanous Offence Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

According to him, the offence of murder ran foul of section 319 of the Criminal Code, Cap C 38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.