A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday refused to dismiss charges against Fubara’s loyalists on terrorism-related charges and alleged murder.
The IGP had filed the charges against them following their alleged role in the bombing of the Rivers State House of Assembly in October 2023.
The defendants Chime Eguma Ezebalike, Prince Lukman Oladele, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Donald, and Ochueja Thankgod, who are loyalists of the Rivers state governor, Simialayi Fubara, are standing trial on terrorism-related charges and alleged murder.
When the charges were read to the defendants, they all pleaded not guilty.
The defendants asked the court to halt the trial of the terrorism-related offense that was preferred against them in a preliminary objection submitted through their legal representation, arguing that only the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice could try someone for such an offense.
In a decision on their preliminary objections on Friday, Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon declared that the defendant’s assertion that the AGF alone has the authority to bring them to trial is false.
The defendants’ preliminary challenges to the trial were deemed incompetent and without merit by the judge.
Following the decision, Lukman Fagbemi (SAN), the first and second defendants’ attorney, pleaded with the court to release his clients on bond.
Justice Olajuwon, however, fixed Monday, February 5, for ruling on their respective bail applications.
Justice Olajuwon ordered that the five defendants be returned to Kuje Prison in Abuja pending the decision of the Court on whether to allow them on bail or not.
