JUST IN: Court Rejects Bail for Governor Fubara’s Loyalists Charged with Terrorism

In a recent development at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the bail applications of five loyalists of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, facing charges related to terrorism, were turned down. The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Lukman Fagbemi, who represented the defendants, saw their pleas rejected by Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon on Monday.

The five individuals charged with terrorism are Chime Eguma Ezebalike, Prince Lukman Oladele, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Donald, and Ochueja Thankgod. Justice Olajuwon ruled against their bail, stating that they failed to present special circumstances justifying their release from the Kuje Prison in Abuja.

Specifically, the judge highlighted that Chime Eguma Ezebalike and Prince Lukman Oladele lacked sufficient and verifiable evidence to support their bail requests. The affidavit evidence provided by an office assistant, Mariam Alawiye, on behalf of the defendants, failed to disclose the identities of those providing information about them.

Justice Olajuwon emphasized that the affidavit did not adhere to Section 115 of the Evidence Act, as it did not include the names of individuals volunteering information about the defendants. Instead, the affidavit contained irrelevant details that did not meet the legal requirements for bail.

Furthermore, considering the severity of terrorism charges, the court emphasized that such offenses are typically non-bailable. Justice Olajuwon ordered the defendants to remain in Kuje Prison pending their trial, which has been scheduled for an accelerated hearing starting on February 8, as directed by the Inspector General of Police.