The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed March 25 for ruling on an application seeking to vacate the warrant issued for the arrest of the Chief of Staff to the Rivers State Governor, Edison Ehie.
Justice Emeka Nwite had on January 31 ordered Ehie’s arrest in connection with the burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly on October 30, 2023.
The police, in the charges, alleged that Ehie and five others masterminded the bombing of the Rivers State House of Assembly amid a plot to impeach Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The five others are Jinjiri Bala, Happy Benedict, Progress Joseph, Adokiye Oyagiri, and Chibuike Peter, alias Rambo.
The police had on January 24, 2024, arraigned the five others on seven counts bordering on conspiracy, arson, attempted murder, and murder.
Though Ehie’s name was mentioned in the counts, he was not listed among the defendants.
At the proceedings on Monday, Ehie’s lawyer, Oluwole Aladedoye, urged the court to set aside the warrant issued for the arrest of his client.
He said, “He was never invited by the police for anything. All that he saw was that they filed a charge; they mentioned his name in four out of seven charges for murder and arson.”
Aladedoye also argued that it was strange that the Inspector-General of Police left all the courts in Rivers State, where the alleged offences were committed, to file an application before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
“Your Lordship has no jurisdiction to entertain the matter here, “ Aladedoye said.
Counsel for the other defendants, Femi Falana(SAN), said the crime his clients were alleged to have committed were state offences.
He said, “What is disclosed are state offences; it is our submission that this court cannot exercise any jurisdiction in state offences without the fiat of the Attorney General of Rivers State. ”
But the IG’s lawyer, Simon Loughe, insisted that the matter was within the jurisdiction of the court, adding that
an arrest warrant issued by the Federal High Court could be executed anywhere in Nigeria.
Justice Nwite, after listening to the lawyers’ arguments, adjourned the matter till March 25.
