Rivers’ Chief Of Staff’s Bid To Stop Arrest Stalls As Court Adjourns Hearing

A Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned hearing in a motion seeking to set aside and nullify an arrest warrant against the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the Rivers State Governor, Hon Edison Ehie, and five others for their alleged involvement in the burning of the state’s House of Assembly and attempted murder.

THE WHISTLER recalls that the court had granted the arrest warrant following an application from the Inspector-General of Police.

The court had issued the arrest warrant on January 31, 2024.

The order was granted by Justice Emeka Nwite in the motion-exparte filed by the Inspector-General of Police through his counsel, S.A. Lough.

Ehie, who was listed as a defendant in the case, was ordered to be arrested alongside Jinjiri Bala, Happy Benedict, Progress Joseph, Adokiye Oyagiri and Chibuike Peter also known as Rambo.

The IGP’s lawyer, Simon Lough, told the court that the six defendants were at large and needed to be arrested to defend charges against them, including alleged terrorism and attempted murder and murder of a Superintendent of Police, SP Bako Agbashim, and five police informants.

Lough said the request was in line with 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.

The names of the five police informants alleged to have been killed by the defendants are Charles Osu, Ogbonna Eja, Idaowuka Felix, Paul Victor Chibuogu and Saturday Edi.

In his order, Justice Nwite granted the prayers of the IGP, saying the police should go ahead and “declare them wanted.”

But counsel to Mr Ehie and others, Femi Falana and Mr Oluwole Aladedoye, filed separate motions asking the court to set aside the arrest warrant as well as restrain the police from carrying out the order pending the determination of the case.

Falana maintained that the IGP had not filed any criminal charge or motion before seeking the arrest of his client.

“The complainant/respondent (IGP) did not adduce evidence of terrorism in the affidavit supporting the application.

“The complainant/respondent did not cite any section of the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2013 (as amended) alleged to have been contravened by the applicants,” Falana argued.

Aladedoye, on his part, argued that a notice of appeal had been filed against the trial court orders, hence, the need for the police to be restrained.

At the resumed hearing, Lough told the judge he was not aware of the defendant’s motion.

But the judge said he could see the affidavit of service from the court records.

Lough then said in this circumstance, he will need time to react to the motions seeking setting of the order and stay of execution.

Subsequently, the judge adjourned to March 4 for hearing, adding he does not expect any party to take any “contrary” step in the case.

THE WHISTLER reports that related developments about River politics have been filed in about three courts within the FHC Abuja.

Recall that five defendants, namely Chime Eguma Ezebalike, Prince Lukman Oladele, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Donald and Ochueja Thankgod, were arraigned before Justice Bolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday on 7-count charges marked FHC/ABJ/CR/25/2024.

They were accused of joining forces with Ehie and others, now at large, to wreak havoc on the state assembly building.

The charges read in part, “That you, Chime Eguma Ezebalike, 37 years, business man of Street 5, Radio Estate Ozuoba, Port Harcourt, Prince Lukman Oladele, 47 years of Okocha Street, Port Harcourt, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Hon Edison Ehie and others now at large on 29th of October 2023 at Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, while acting in concert conspired together to commit felony to wit: acts of terrorism by wilful destruction of public properties by invading, attacking, destroying and burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 26 (1) of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022.”