Man jailed for assaulting FRSC officers in Ekiti

Friday, November 29, 2024 - A Magistrate Court in Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State, has sentenced a passenger, Kazeem Abdullahi, to one-month imprisonment for assaulting patrol officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps who were attacked while carrying out their duties on the Oye-Ifaki Road.

Abdullahi was arraigned on a charge of assault under Section 187 of the Ekiti State Criminal Law of 2021.

According to a statement issued by FRSC spokesman, Olusegun Ogungbemide, on Thursday, November 28, 2024, the case was presided over by Senior Magistrate Salau M.E., who found the defendant guilty. 

However, considering that Abdullahi is a first-time offender with dependents and had apologised to the FRSC, the court gave him the option of a fine of N5,000 instead of imprisonment.

The incident, which occurred on April 22, 2024, involved Abdullahi and a motorcycle rider identified as Alhaji Dauda.

While Dauda was initially charged, the court acquitted him, citing a lack of evidence against him.

The assault began after Dauda was stopped for overloading passengers and riding without a helmet. Abdullahi reportedly became confrontational and attacked the officers during the enforcement process

“A Magistrate Court sitting in Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State has sentenced Mr Kazeem Abdullahi, a motorist to one-month imprisonment for attacking patrol operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps while performing their lawful duties along Oye-Ifaki road, Ekiti State," the statement read. 

“Mr Kazeem was arraigned with a case file number MOY/15C/2024 before His Worship, Snr Magistrate Salau M.E. of the Oye Ekiti Magistrate Court on a lone count under Section 187 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State 2021, bordering on assault on a law enforcement officer.

“Giving the judgement by His Worship on the matter, the defendant was found guilty as charged, but in view of the fact that Kazeem is a first-time offender, with dependents; and has also apologised to the FRSC, was sentenced to one-month imprisonment or a fine of N5,000 in lieu of imprisonment.

“The offender was charged alongside Alhaji Dauda — the first defendant, who was presumed innocent, thereby discharged and acquitted." 

The FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, commended the court’s timely decision and reiterated that assaults on law enforcement personnel would not be tolerated.

He warned members of the public, especially habitual offenders, to desist from such actions or face the consequences.