Rivers, Abuja courts issue conflicting orders on arrest of Fubara’s chief of staff

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt and a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, the nation’s capital have issued two conflicting orders on the arrest of the Chief of Staff to Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, Ehie Edison over last year’s explosion at the state House of Assembly.

While the Rivers State High Court issued an order stopping the arrest of Edison by the police, the Federal High Court gave the police the go-ahead to arrest Edison alongside others said to be at large.

The Port Harcourt court made the order following an ex parte application taken before it by Edison, who was a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly when the Assembly complex was bombed to foil an attempt by lawmakers loyal to ex-governor Nyesom Wike to impeach Fubara.

Edison, in his application, urged the court to restrain the police or other security agencies “from arresting, detaining and harassing” him over the Assembly incident.

Justice Sika Aprioku, after granting the order, adjourned till February 6 for hearing of the substantive application.

However, in a direct conflict with the Rivers High Court order, the Federal High Court in Abuja also on Wednesday granted the police an order to arrest Edison over the Assembly explosion.

Justice Emeka Nwite, who heard the ex parte application by the police, issued a warrant for the arrest of Edison and five others.

In the ex parte application, the defendants were accused of conspiracy, arson, terrorism, attempted murder, and murder of a Superintendent of Police, Bako Agbashim, and five other police informants.

The ex parte application was predicated on sections 37, 113, 114, 84, and 184 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution as well as 32 of the Police Act 2020.

While granting the application, Justice Nwite held: “That the complainant/application’s application dated and filed 29th day of January 2024 is granted as prayed.

“That an order of this Honourable Court is hereby made issuing a Warrant of Arrest against Ehie, Bala, Benneth, Joseph, Oyagiri, and Chibuike (aka Rambo) fleeing Defendants in the case. “