FG Charges Fubara’s Loyalists with Terrorism in Abuja Court

The Federal Government has filed terrorism charges against four individuals from Port Harcourt, accused of invading, vandalizing, and setting ablaze the Rivers State House of Assembly last year. The accused, believed to be loyalists of Siminalaye Fubara, are facing charges related to the political turmoil that gripped Port Harcourt in October.

The individuals named in the charges are Chima Eguma Ezebalike, Prince Lukman Oladele, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Donald, and Ochueja Thankgod. Notably, the former factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Edison Ehie, is also implicated in the 7-count terrorism charges but is currently at large along with other suspects.

The accused, held in custody by the anti-terrorism department of the police at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, are scheduled to be arraigned at the Federal High Court in Abuja today.

The charges, obtained by our correspondent and marked FHC/ABJ/CR/25/2024, identify the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, as the complainant. Allegedly, in addition to burning down the State House of Assembly, the accused were involved in the killing of Superintendent of Police (SP) Bako Agbashim and five police informants at Ahoada community in the state.

The accused are also alleged to have used various cult groups, including Supreme Viking Confraternity, Degbam, Iceland, and Greenland, to wreak havoc on the state’s populace and disrupt commercial activities.

Leading the prosecution team before Justice Bolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court in Abuja is Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Simon Lough. The charges specify the accused individuals’ actions on October 29, 2023, at Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, citing their conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism by willfully destroying public properties through invading, attacking, destroying, and burning the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The arraignment is anticipated to take place before Justice Bolaji Olajuwon, marking a crucial moment in the legal proceedings surrounding the alleged acts of terrorism in Rivers State.