By TAIYE AGBAJE

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, ordered that the five suspected persons arraigned for allegedly burning the Rivers House of Assembly on Oct. 29, 2023, be remanded in a correctional centre.

Justice Bolaji Olajuwon gave the order following their arraignment on seven-count charge bordering on terrorism.

Justice Olajuwon, who declined to take their bail plea, held that their application for bail was not ripe for hearing.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that while the Inspector-General (I-G) is the complainant in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/25/2024, Chime Eguma Ezebalike, 37; Prince Lukman Oladele, 47; Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, 40; Osiga Donald, 42; Ochueja Thankgod , 35, are 1^st to 5^th defendants respectively.

The police alleged that the defendants, alongside Hon. Edison Ehie, former factional speaker of the assembly loyal to Gov. Siminalayi Fubara and others at large, committed the offence.

NAN reports that Ehie, representing Ahoada East Constituency, had, in December, resigned as a member of the Rivers assembly and speaker of the minority lawmakers.

The resignation was said to be part of the agreements reached in the bid to reconcile Fubara and former Governor, Nyesom Wike, now the FCT Minister.

Upon resumed hearing, Oluwole Aladedoye, SAN, who announced appearance for Ehie, said though his client was not listed as a defendant, he was in court to represent him because his name was mentioned virtually in all the counts.

The police counsel, Audu Garba, said the matter was fixed for arraignment and they were ready for the defendants to take their plea subject to the convenience of the court.

After the charge was read to them, the defendants pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

“In view of the denial by all the defendants of the allegations leveled against them, we shall be asking for a date for trial to invite our witnesses,” Garba said.

Lukman Fagbemi, SAN, who represented Ezebalike and Oladele (1^st and 2^nd defendants), informed the court that a bail application was filed on their behalf on Wednesday and that the prosecution had been served.

Terkaa Aondo, representing Kpasa (3^rd defendant), said he had equally filed a bail application earlier in the day and that the prosecution had been served.

Responding, Garba said he was just being served today and would need more time to study the applications.

But Fagbemi, who prayed the court to allow his bail application to be taken, said his clients had been in detention since Nov. 4, 2023.

Aondo, while aligning himself with Fagbemi’s plea, said his client was detained since Jan. 5.

They, however, asked for a shorter date should their requests were not granted.

Justice Olajuwon, who refused to grant the plea to take their bail applications, adjourned the matter until Feb. 2 for hearing of the bail application.

The judge ordered the defendants to be remanded in a correctional centre pending the hearing of their bail applications.

NAN, however, observes that Osiga Donald and Ochueja Thankgod (4^th and 5^th defendants) were not represented in court by any lawyer.

Count one of the charge alleged that Ezebalike, Oladele, kpasa, Honourable Ehie and others now at large, on or about the 29^th day of October, 2023, at Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers, while acting in concert, conspired together to commit felony.

It alleged that they committed the “act of terrorism by wilful destruction of public properties of invading, attacking, destroying and burning of the Rivers House of Assembly.

The prosecution said the offence is punishable under Section 26 [1] [a] of the Terrorism [Prevention and Prohibition} Act 2022,” among other counts. (NAN)

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