Court Remands Resident In Prison For Attempted Attack On IBEDC Employee Over Electricity Billing Dispute

A 37-year-old man, Tamiyu Opeyemi has been remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Centre by a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Osogbo, capital of Osun State for allegedly attempting to behead an electricity company’s official.

Opeyemi was arrested by the Osun State Police Command for allegedly harassing and assaulting one Olawuni Ayodele, an official of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company.

Ayodele had visited Zone 12, back of Capital Area in Osogbo to demand payment of electricity bills from consumers in the area before the incident happened.

It was alleged that when the official and his colleagues arrived at the defendant’s house, Opeyemi brought out a cutlass and started threatening to kill the official.

Altercation was said to have ensued between the official and some residents of the area over alleged estimated billing, lack of constant electricity supply and the insistence of the company to disconnect power from consumers who did not pay their bills.

The police prosecutor, Oluokun Babatunde said the incident happened on July 2, 2024 at about 10am in the area.

The two counts slammed against the defendant, said to be an athlete in the state, read, “That you Tiamiyu Opeyemi, on the 2nd day of July 2024 at about 1000hrs at Zone 12 back of capital area Osogbo in the Osogbo Magisterial district did threat the life of one Mr. Olawumi Ayodele, one of IBEDC officials, with cutlass when he was carrying out his official duty at the said area mention above; and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 86 (1) of the criminal code cap. 34vol.Il laws of Osun State Nigeria 2002.

“That you Tiamiyu Opeyemi on the same day, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did conduct yourself in manner likely to cause the breach of the peace at Capital Area and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 249 (d) of the criminal code cap. 34 Vol.11 laws of Osun State Nigeria 2002.”

While Opeyemi pleaded not guilty to the allegations, his counsel, A. Naheem, urged the court to grant the defendant bail in liberal terms.

Chief Magistrate Ayilara granted the accused person bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in the like sum.

He said one of the sureties must be a civil servant not below grade level 10.

However, Opeyemi was not able to meet up with bail conditions.

He was whisked to Ilesa prison till he would be able to perfect his bail conditions.