The court sets February 19 for the hearing of Fubara’s chief of staff’s motion

The hearing of petitions on notice filed by Rivers Governor Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff (CoS), to vacate the previous arrest warrant order against him and others, is scheduled for Monday at a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Following the filing of separate applications to that effect by the attorneys representing Ehie and five other parties, Femi Falana, SAN, and Oluwole Aladedoye, SAN, Justice Emeka Nwite set the date.

Aladedoye filed an application for a stay of execution of the arrest order, while Falana filed a move seeking an order to set aside the judgment rendered by Justice Nwite on January 31.

A warrant for Mr. Ehie’s arrest was issued by the judge on January 31 due to his suspected involvement in the October 29, 2023, burning of a portion of the state House of Assembly.

Nwite also ordered the arrest of five other accomplices while rendering a decision in an ex-parte application filed by Inspector-General of Police Simon Lough’s attorney.

Jinjiri Bala, Happy Benneth, Progress Joseph, Adokiye Oyagiri, and Chibuike Peter, also known as Rambo, are the others who were ordered to be detained together with Ehie.

The six suspects were at large to face trial in a seven-count preferred against five other accused arsonists who are presently facing charges before a sister court, therefore the judge granted the ex-parte application as presented by Lough.

On January 25, in Abuja, the I-G had charged Chime Eguma Ezebalike, 37; Prince Lukman Oladele, 47; Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, 40; Osiga Donald, 42; and Ochueja Thankgod, 35, in a charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/25/2024. The court was presided over by Justice Bolaji Olajuwon in a sister court.

However, they were remanded in Kuje Correctional Center after entering a not guilty plea to the counts.

The I-G designated Ehie and five other people who were allegedly at large wanted and arraigned them on a seven-count criminal accusation pertaining to terrorism and murder.