A Federal High Court in Lagos has directed that 30-year-old Ogunjimi Mayowa be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre following his arraignment on charges of illegal firearm and ammunition possession.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke issued the order after the Department of State Services (DSS) brought Mayowa before the court on a three-count charge involving conspiracy, unlawful possession of a locally fabricated pistol, and three live cartridges.
During the arraignment, prosecution counsel Mr. M.O. Bajela informed the court of the charges and requested they be read to the defendant to obtain his plea.
According to Bajela, Mayowa was apprehended on June 11, 2024, during a routine stop-and-search by officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency while onboard a public bus along the Lekki-Ajah corridor in Lagos.
He was allegedly found in possession of a locally manufactured pistol and three live cartridges without valid documentation.
Bajela noted that the NDLEA subsequently handed the suspect over to the DSS for further investigation and legal action.
The prosecution stated that Mayowa conspired with others and illegally held one locally made pistol and three live cartridges without a licence.
The DSS said the alleged offences violate Sections 316(3) and 8 of the Firearms Act, Cap F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (as amended), and are punishable under Sections 27(1)(a) and 27(1)(b)(ii) of the same law.
Mayowa entered a plea of not guilty to all charges.
As the defence did not present a bail request, Bajela asked the court to schedule a trial date and keep the defendant in custody until proceedings begin.
Justice Aneke agreed and postponed the trial to November 6, 2025.
In a statement to the DSS, Mayowa reportedly said he was a member of the Gani Adams faction of the Oodua People’s Congress.
He stated that he bought the pistol for ₦25,000 and the cartridges for ₦2,000 apiece from another OPC member known only as “Solution Armani.”
He went on to describe the firearm’s use during land-grabbing activities across Lagos and Ogun states.
He explained that these operations were divided into two phases: “flushing” and “pindown.”
He alleged that the “flushing” phase occurred during the daytime with the involvement of armed police officers who cleared residents from targeted plots using AK-47s.
After the police departed in the evening, Mayowa said the “boys” would then guard the land in what he referred to as the “pindown” phase.
He claimed the weapon was meant for self-defence in case of any retaliatory attacks.
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