A Magistrate’s Court for Special Offences sitting in Oshodi, Lagos, has convicted 13 of the 14 individuals accused of vandalism at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA).
The convicts were sentenced to 19 months’ imprisonment, while one suspect was remanded in custody pending trial.
In a statement, the Public Relations Officer of the Airport Police Command, Adeola Mohammed, said the convicts were among 14 individuals accused of stealing construction materials at the airport’s Terminal 1, which is undergoing renovation.
He added that the suspects were arraigned before the Magistrate’s Court for Special Offences in Oshodi on April 21, 2026.
According to him, 13 of the defendants pleaded guilty to the charges and were immediately convicted and sentenced, while the remaining suspect, who pleaded not guilty, was remanded in custody, with the case adjourned to June 16, 2026.
The statement quoted the Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, Olufunke Ogunbode, commending the Joint Monitoring Task Force for its prompt response and professionalism.
The suspects were arrested on April 20, 2026, between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. by the Joint Monitoring Task Force (JMTF) during a routine patrol of the airport facility.
The JMTF, which comprises personnel of the Airport Police Command and other security agencies, intensified surveillance in the area following repeated reports by project managers of missing building materials at the terminal.
The police disclosed that upon arrival at the scene, operatives apprehended the suspects in possession of high-value copper wires, iron components and other construction materials.
Further investigations by the police showed that the suspects allegedly gained access to the facility by impersonating workers attached to the construction company handling the renovation project.
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