Lokoja — The Commissioner for Commerce and industry, Ali Ajuh and the Liaison Officer 1of Omala Local Government Area of Kogi State, Omale Simon, have been arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court for alleged criminal conspiracy, disturbance of public peace and attempted culpable homicide.

They were also charged with inciting disturbance, failure to give notice or information, negligent conduct and causing death and hurt.

The accused persons were alleged to have used thugs to cause mayhem at Abejukolo in Omala Local Government Area during a prayer session for former governor Ibrahim Idris.

The prosecutor, Otowu Gabriel, told the court that on January 26, the state's commissioner of police received information that Aminu Atabor and Ali Ajuh, criminally conspired with thugs armed with guns, clubs and cutlasses to unleash mayhem at Omala.

The prosecutor further told the court that the thugs blocked the Abejukolo-Anyigba road, destroyed two cars and injured several persons. He added that Aminu Atabor and Ali Ajuh had prior knowledge of it, but refused to inform the police, and that they also refused to produce the thugs who allegedly caused the mayhem.

According him, one pump action gun, 28 live cartridges, one pistol magazine with six live ammunition, clubs and cutlasses were recovered.

The accused persons after listening to the First Information Report denied the charges while their counsel, Okechukwu Moses Ewerem, urged the court to grant them bail, saying they are public officers in the state and will not jump bail if granted.

The prosecutor did not object to the bail application, so the magistrate, Levi Nda Animoku, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200, 000 with a surety each in like sum, and adjourned the case to February 14.