Alex Enumah in Abuja
Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered the arrest of the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the Rivers State Governor, Hon Edison Ehie and five others.
Justice Nwite issued a warrant of arrest for the defendants over their alleged complicity in acts of arson, terrorism, murder amongst others.
Besides Ehie, those to be arrested and brought to face trial are; Jinjiri Bala, Happy Benedict, Progress Joseph, Adokiye Oyagiri and Chibuike Peter also known as Rambo.
The order was sequel to an exparte application brought before the court by the Inspector General (IG) of Police, dated and filed on January 29.
The ex-parte application was predicated on Sections 37, 113, 114, 84 and 184 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, and Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution as well as 32 of the Police Act, 2020.
In the ex-parte application argued by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Simon Lough, the six defendants were said to be at large.
The senior lawyer submitted that the defendants are involved in conspiracy, arson, terrorism, attempted murder and murder of a Superintendent of Police (SP) Bako Agbashim and five other police informants.
The five police informants they are alleged to have killed are Charles Osu, Ogbonna Eja, Idaowuka Felix, Paul Victor Chibuogu and Saturday Edi.
Delivering ruling in the application, Justice Nwite held that after reading the affidavit in support of the application and hearing the argument of the complainant/ application, “the application dated and filed January 29, is granted as prayed”.
He subsequently made an order for the issuing of warrant of arrest for the six defendants and to also declare them wanted.
A Certified True Copy (CTC) of the court’s order, signed by a Registrar of the Court, Kasope Bola, shows that the ex-parte application is marked FHC/ABJ/ CS/12/2024.
It will be recalled that the IG had two weeks ago put five Port Harcourt-based persons on trial on charges bordering on terrorism, arson and the burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The defendants were however, remanded at the Kuje Correctional Center, pending the hearing and determination of their bail.
The five defendants are Chime Eguma Ezebalike, Prince Lukman Oladele, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Donald and Ochueja Thankgod.
In the 7-count charges, the defendants were accused of committing acts of terrorism by invading, vandalizing and burning down Rivers State House of Assembly, during the wake of political crisis that rocked Port Harcourt in October last year.
