The Police on Wednesday arraigned a 23-year-old man, Ibrahim Idris, before a Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court over the alleged theft of aluminium valued at over N1.37 million. The defendant, whose address was not provided, faces charges of stealing and breach of peace, but pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Prosecutor ASP Edet Ekpo told the court that the defendant committed the offence on April 4 at Oke Nla Street, Ilogbo-Eremi, Oko-Afo, along the Badagry Expressway in Lagos. Ekpo alleged that the defendant conducted himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by causing pandemonium in the area. He further stated that the stolen aluminium belonged to the complainant, Saheed Shokunbi, and that the defendant was caught by members of the community and handed over to the police for prosecution.
The offence contravenes Sections 168 and 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015. Chief Magistrate Nurudeen Layeni granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in the like amount, stipulating that one of the sureties must be a community leader. The case was adjourned until May 14 for mention.
From an economic perspective, theft of construction materials such as aluminium reflects the broader challenges of asset protection in Nigeria’s building and infrastructure sector. Aluminium is widely used in roofing, window frames, and other structural applications, and its relatively high scrap value makes it a target for theft. Such incidents impose indirect costs on property owners, contractors, and ultimately end-users, as stolen materials must be replaced and security measures intensified.
