A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a warrant of arrest against the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the Rivers State Governor, Edison Ehie over his alleged involvement in the burning of the State House of Assembly.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the federal high court , Abuja granted the order against Ehie who is the immediate past factional Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly along with five other persons based in Port Harcourt.
They are the former factional Speaker Jinjiri Bala, Happy Benedict, Progress Joseph, Adokiye Oyagiri and Chibuike Peter also known as Rambo.
In an ex-parte application brought by the Inspector General of Police IGP and argued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Simon Lough, the six defendants were said to be at large.
Lough submitted that apart from other criminal activities the defendants allegedly murdered a Superintendent of Police , Bako Agbashim and five other police informants, namely: Charles Osu, Ogbonna Eja, Idaowuka Felix, Paul Victor Chibuogu and Saturday Edi.
Previously the IGP had put five Port Harcourt-based person’s on trial of terrorism charges and were remanded at Kuje Prison upon their arraignment till February 2 when their respective bail applications would be determined.
The five defendants are Chime Eguma Ezebalike, Prince Lukman Oladele, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Donald and Ochueja Thankgod.
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In a 7-count charge they were accused of invading, vandalizing and burning down Rivers State House of Assembly during the wake of political crisis that rocked Port Harcourt in October 2023.
Meanwhile, the Port Harcourt Division of the Rivers State High Court granted an ex-parte order restraining the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies from arresting, detaining, and or harassing Edison Ehie.
The trial judge Sika Aprioku, granted the order following a motion ex-parte filed by the Chief of Staff to the Governor seeking to stop the police from arresting him over his alleged involvement in the burning of the Hallowed Chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly last year.
(Editor : Ena Agbanoma)
