Court Restrains Arrest of Rivers Chief of Staff, Others Over Alleged Murder

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, issued a warrant for the arrest of the Chief of Staff to the Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara, two days after he appointed Edison Ehie, over his alleged participation in the burning of the House of Assembly.

However, in a counter order, the Rivers State High Court, in a motion ex-parte by the Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie, the court ruled that Police and other security agencies restrain from arresting, detaining, and harassing him over his alleged involvement in the invasion of the recent Rivers State House of Assembly.

The presiding judge, Justice Sika Aprioku, after granting the order, adjourned till February 6 for a hearing of the substantive application.

In a recall, during the Rivers State political crisis that led to the burning of the State Assembly, in an attempt to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara on October 30, 2023.

Meanwhile, the Federal High Court had, in its seven charges, ruled that Ehie be arrested for alleged terrorism offences by invading, vandalizing, and burning down Rivers’ complex in the wake of the political crisis in October last year.

The judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, in the fresh application on Wednesday, issued a warrant of arrest against the defendants.

The judge held “That the complainant’s application dated and filed on the 29th day of January 2024 is granted as prayed.

“That an order of this Honourable Court is hereby made issuing a warrant of arrest against  Ehie, Bala, Benneth, Joseph,  Oyagiri, and Chibuike (aka Rambo) fleeing defendants in the case.”

To avoid risking prosecution, Ehie, through the Rivers state high court, in a swift move, secured an adjourned hearing till February 6 for his substantive prayer to nullify the allegations against him and others involved in the complex burning.

He had been accused of the involvement leading to the murder of the Superintendent of Police Bako Agbashim and five other police informants.

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Mayowa Durosinmi

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M. Durosinmi is a West Africa Weekly investigative reporter covering Politics, Human Rights, Health, and Security in West Africa and the Sahel Region

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