On Wednesday, a legal imbroglio unfolded as conflicting directives emanated from the Rivers State High Court and the Federal High Court in Abuja regarding the prosecution of Edison Ehie, Chief of Staff to the Rivers State Governor, in connection with arson and murder charges.
The genesis of the legal tussle traces back to the unfortunate incident on October 29, 2023, when the Rivers State House of Assembly was set ablaze and bombed. Subsequently, a schism within the Assembly emerged, with one faction, led by Edison Ehie, aligning with Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and another faction, under Martin Amaewhule’s leadership, supporting former Governor Nyesom Wike.
The arson at the Assembly was perceived as a ploy to thwart the impeachment of Governor Fubara by the Amaewhule faction. Martin Amaewhule-led lawmakers, in response, petitioned the police, urging the arrest and prosecution of Edison Ehie on allegations of plotting the arson.
In response to the petition, the Inspector General of Police arraigned five suspects before the Federal High Court in Abuja, charging them with terrorism-related offenses for invading, vandalizing, and burning down the Rivers State House of Assembly. The defendants, Chime Eguma Ezebalike, Prince Lukman Oladele, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Donald, and Ochueja Thankgod, were remanded at Kuje Prison until February 2, pending the determination of their bail applications by Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon.
Simultaneously, the Inspector General of Police, represented by Deputy Commissioner of Police Simon Lough, filed another ex-parte application seeking the arrest of Edison Ehie and five others. The charges included conspiracy, arson, terrorism, attempted murder, and murder of a Superintendent of Police SP Bako Agbashim and five other police informants.
Justice Nwite granted the request to declare the defendants wanted, emphasizing the serious nature of the charges. However, in a twist of events, Edison Ehie sought refuge in the Rivers State High Court, filing a motion ex-parte to prevent his arrest over the alleged involvement in the Assembly invasion.
Justice S. H Aprioku, presiding over the Rivers State High Court, ruled in favor of Edison Ehie, restraining the police and other security agencies from arresting, detaining, or harassing him. The judge scheduled the substantive application hearing for February 6, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing legal saga.
