A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a warrant for the arrest of Hon Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, in connection with the alleged burning of the State House of Assembly.

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The arrest order extends to five other individuals based in Port Harcourt, namely Jinjiri Bala, Happy Benedict, Progress Joseph, Adokiye Oyagiri, and Chibuike Peter, also known as Rambo.

The warrant was granted by Justice Emeka Nwite during the ruling on an ex-parte application presented by the Inspector General of Police, relying on various sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, the 1999 Constitution, and the Police Act, 2020.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Simon Lough, argued the ex-parte application, stating that the defendants were at large and involved in conspiracy, arson, terrorism, attempted murder, and the murder of Superintendent of Police Bako Agbashim and five other police informants.

The police informants allegedly killed by the defendants were identified as Charles Osu, Ogbonna Eja, Idaowuka Felix, Paul Victor Chibuogu, and Saturday Edi. The court granted the request of the Inspector General of Police to declare the defendants wanted and ordered their arrest. Upon apprehension, they are to be brought before the court for trial.

The ex-parte application is marked FHC/ABJ/CS/12/2024.

This development follows the recent trial initiated by the Inspector General of Police, who, two weeks ago, brought five individuals from Port Harcourt to trial on terrorism charges. These individuals, namely Chime Eguma Ezebalike, Prince Lukman Oladele, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Donald, and Ochueja Thankgod, were accused of invading, vandalizing, and burning down the Rivers State House of Assembly during the political crisis in Port Harcourt in October of the previous year.

The five defendants from the earlier trial were remanded at Kuje Prison, and their bail applications are set to be determined by the judge on February 2. The charges against them include offenses related to terrorism, reflecting the severity of the allegations surrounding the events that unfolded during the political unrest in Port Harcourt.