Court refuses Fubara’s loyalists bail over terrorism charges

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday, refused to grant bail to five loyalists of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State who were arraigned on terrorism charges following an explosion at the state House of Assembly complex last year.

The defendants, Chime Eguma Ezebalike, Prince Lukman Oladele, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Donald, and Ochueja Thankgod, were arraigned on a seven-count terrorism charge preferred against them by the Inspector General of Police last week.

They were accused of invading, vandalising, and burning down the Assembly Complex in October 2023, as well as indictment in the killing of some police officers.

According to the charge marked “FHC/ABJ/CR/25/2024”, the suspects were equally accused of killing a Superintendent of Police, SP Bako Agbashim, and five police informants at Ahoada community in the state, whose names were given as Charles Osu, Ogbonna Eja, Idaowuka Felix, Paul Victor Chibuogu, and Saturday Edi.

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The prosecution had equally accused the governor’s loyalists of using various cult groups, namely Supreme Vikings Confraternity, Degbam, Iceland, and Greenland, to unleash mayhem on the people of the state and their commercial activities.

At the hearing on January 25, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges and were subsequently remanded in prison custody.

However, the defendants, through their lawyers, applied for bail, praying the court to release them pending the determination of the case against them.

While ruling on the accused bail applications, Justice Bolaji Olajuwon rejected the applications, holding that the defendants were charged with a capital offence, which involved terrorism and alleged murder.

Olajuwon also held that the evidence before the court showed that experts at the health centre were capable and well-equipped to manage the condition of the defendants.

The judge therefore adjourned the case till February 8 for hearing.