Arigidi, left, and two other suspects

One of the six men arraigned today over the kidnap of three schoolgirls from Babington Macaulay Junior  Seminary School was also identified as a participant in two major bank robberies in Lagos State.

The accused, Emmanuel Arigidi, 37 years old,  was said to have been involved in the Lekki Admiralty Way bank robbery in March 2015 and the Ikorodu bank robbery.

Mr G.O. Osuyi, a counsel from the Criminal Investigations Department, Panti, Lagos told Chief Magistrate Mrs O.I. Adelaja today that Arigidi also robbed the principal of the Babington Macaulay Seminary School, Venerable Olaoluwa Adeyemi, snatching N5.6 million.’ Arigidi was armed with an AK 47 on the day he robbed Adeyemi, the court heard.

Emmanuel Arigidi, linked with bank robberies

According to Osuyi,  Arigidi, who was armed with AK 47 on March 12, 2015 at Admiralty Way, Lekki, robbed one of the new generation banks  and made away with N24.5 million.

Arigidi was also alleged to be one of the robbers who unleashed terror in Ikorodu area and robbed several banks last year..

Arigidi and the five other men  who took part in the kidnap of the girls  were remanded at Ikoyi Prisons on the order of an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs O.I. Adelaja, who gave the order, said the accused should be remanded in prison pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

All the accused. Arigidi,  Gift Pius, 30; Fred Omoni, 32; Geofrey Owei, 28; Seun Akanji, 33; and Segun James, 29 — are facing a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, kidnap, being armed with offensive weapons and robbery.

Osuyi said the accused conspired with others still at large on Feb. 25 at Maya under bridge along Ikorodu-Imota Road, to kidnap three girls from the college.

The kidnapped girls are of ages 14 and 15.

The offences contravened Sections 269(1), 295 (2) and 409 and of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN reports that Section 295 (2) provides death penalty for the offenders.

The case has been adjourned to April 25.