The federal government has filed terrorism charges against four Port Harcourt-based men who reportedly attacked, destroyed, and burned down the Rivers State House of Assembly last year.
The suspects, presumed to be Siminalaye Fubara followers from Rivers State, are accused of committing terrorism charges during the political upheaval that rocked Port Harcourt in October last year.
They include Chima Eguma Ezebalike, Prince Lukman Oladele, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Donald, and Ochueja Thankgod.
Hon Edison Ehie, the immediate previous factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, was listed in the 7-count terrorism indictment, although he is alleged to be at large with other suspects.
The four accused terrorism suspects who have been detained by the police’s anti-terrorism branch at Force Headquarters in Abuja are scheduled to be arraigned at the Federal High Court in Abuja today.
The complainant in the allegations against them, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/25/2024 and acquired by our correspondent, is the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun.
In addition to allegedly burning down the State House of Assembly, several of them were accused of killing a Superintendent of Police (SP) Bako Agbashim and five police informants in the state’s Ahoada neighborhood.
The police informants who are believed to have been killed are Charles Osu, Ogbonna Eja, Idaowuka Felix, Paul Victor Chibuogu, and Saturday Edi.
They were also accused of employing different cult groups, including the Supreme Viking Confraternity, Degbam, Iceland, and Greenland, to inflict havoc on the people of the state and their business interests.
Simon Lough, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), will lead the prosecution team before Justice Bolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court in Abuja today.
They are accused of conspiring on October 29, 2023, at Moscow Road in Port Harcourt to commit acts of terrorism by invading, attacking, destroying, and burning the Rivers State House of Assembly, an offense punishable under Section 26 of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022.
Part of the charges read,
“That you, Chime Eguma Ezebalike, 37 years, business man of Street 5, Radio Estate Ozuoba, Port Harcourt, Prince Lukman Oladele, 47 years of Okocha Street, Port Harcourt, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Hon Edison Ehie and others now at large on 29th of October 2023 at Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, while acting in concert conspired together to commit felony to wit: acts of terrorism by wilful destruction of public properties by invading, attacking, destroying and burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 26 (1) of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022.
“That you Chime Eguma Ezebalike, 37 years, business man of Street 5, Radio Estate Ozuoba, Port Harcourt, Prince Lukman Oladele, 47 years of Okocha Street, Port Harcourt, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Hon Edison Ehie and others now at large on 29th of October 2023 at Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, while acting in concert and armed with dynamite, iron rods, lighters and other offensive weapons willfully and maliciously invaded, attacked and set fire on the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 1 of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Their arraignment is expected to be conducted before Justice Bolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court in Abuja.