Jonathan Nwokpor
A Federal High Court in Abuja issued a warrant for the Chief of Staff’s (CoS) arrest on Wednesday, alleging that Rivers State Governor Hon. Edison Ehie was involved in the State House of Assembly fire.
Along with five other Port Harcourt-based individuals, Ehie, the immediate former factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, was ordered to be arrested for allegedly engaging in illegal activities.
Along with the former factional Speaker, Jinjiri Bala, Happy Benedict, Progress Joseph, Adokiye Oyagiri, and Chibuike Peter, better known as Rambo, were also ordered to be arrested.
On Wednesday, while deciding an ex-parte plea that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) had brought before him, Justice Emeka Nwite issued an order for their arrest.
Sections 37, 113, 114, 84, and 184 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution, and Section 32 of the Police Act 2020 served as the foundation for the ex-parte application.
The six defendants were claimed to be at large in the ex-parte motion made by Simon Lough, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
According to the senior attorney, the defendants have committed acts of terrorism, arson, conspiracy, attempted murder, and the murder of five other police informants in addition to Superintendent of Police Bako Agbashim.
Charles Osu, Saturday Edi, Paul Victor Chibuogu, Ogbonna Eja, and Idaowuka Felix are the five police informants they are believed to have assassinated.
Justice Nwite granted the IGP’s plea to declare the defendants sought and to bring them before the court for trial after their apprehension and investigation.
The application for ex parte is labelled FHC/ABJ/CS/12/2024.
Recall that two weeks earlier, the IGP prosecuted five individuals residing in Port Harcourt on allegations of terrorism, and they were, after their arraignment, placed under remand at Kuje Prison.
They were told to remain in jail custody until February 2, when the judge will decide on each of their requests for bail.
Chime Eguma Ezebalike, Prince Lukman Oladele, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Donald, and Ochueja Thankgod are the five defendants.
The defendants were charged with seven counts of terrorism after they invaded, vandalised, and set fire to the Rivers State House of Assembly during the political unrest that shook Port Harcourt in October of last year.
Judge Mobolaji Olajuwon instructed Kuje Prison to hold them on remand.
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