Court Overturns Arrest Warrant for Governor Fubara’s Chief of Staff and Five Others in Rivers State Crisis
Legal Proceedings Shift as Court Sets Aside Previous Orders
In a significant turn of events, the court has revoked the arrest warrant previously issued for Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and five others involved in the Rivers State crisis. The warrant, initially issued on January 31, was part of allegations linking them to the burning down of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex in Port Harcourt.
The court, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja, made the decision on Thursday. The warrant was issued in the context of alleged offenses including conspiracy, arson, terrorism, attempted murder, and the murder of the DPO of Ahoada Division Rivers State, SP Bako Angbashin, along with five other police informants.
Initially declared wanted, the individuals, including Jinjiri Bala, Happy Benneth, Progress Joseph, Adokiye Oyagiri, and Chibuike, also known as Rambo, were subject to the arrest warrant. However, during the recent court proceedings, the defense counsels, Femi Falana (SAN) and Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), successfully argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to grant the ex-parte application brought by the Inspector General of Police (IGP). They emphasized that no charges were pending before the court at the time of the application.
In light of this argument, Justice Nwite set aside the ex-parte orders made on January 31, which included the warrant for the arrest of Ehie and the five others, effectively nullifying their wanted status. This ruling marks a significant development in the legal proceedings surrounding the Rivers State crisis.
