The defendants were arraigned on a 13-count charge, with proceedings commencing around 1:46 p.m. on Wednesday.
At the start of the hearing, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, informed the court that the charges were ready and sought permission for them to be read.
Proceedings were briefly interrupted after one of the defendants said his lawyer was indisposed, while another required an interpreter due to language barriers. The court stood down the case to make necessary arrangements before resuming.
Upon resumption, all six defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecution subsequently requested that they be remanded in DSS custody and asked for an accelerated hearing, a request that was largely unopposed by defence counsel, although one lawyer indicated plans to file a bail application.
In his ruling, the judge granted the request for expedited hearing, ordered the defendants remanded in DSS custody with access to their lawyers, and adjourned the case to April 27, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
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