Four individuals from Port Harcourt have been charged with terrorism by the federal government for allegedly breaking into, vandalizing, and setting fire to the Rivers State House of Assembly last year.
The defendants, who are thought to be supporters of Rivers State’s Siminalaye Fubara, are charged with terrorist related offenses following the political unrest that shook Port Harcourt in October of last year.
They are Ochueja Thankgod, Osiga Donald, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Prince Lukman Oladele, and Chima Eguma Ezebalike.
Although the immediate past factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Edison Ehie was named in the 7-count terrorism charges, he was however said to be at large alongside other suspects.
The four alleged terrorism suspects who have been in the custody of the anti-terrorism department of the police at the Force Headquarters in Abuja are to be arraigned at the Federal High Court in Abuja today.
In the charges against them marked FHC/ABJ/CR/25/2024, obtained by our correspondent, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun is named as the complainant
In addition to allegedly setting the State House of Assembly on fire, some of them were reported to have murdered five police informants and Superintendent of Police (SP) Bako Agbashim in the state’s Ahoada neighborhood.
Charles Osu, Saturday Edi, Ogbonna Eja, Idaowuka Felix, and Paul Victor Chibuogu are the police informants who are rumored to have died.
They were also charged with causing chaos for the state’s citizens and their business endeavors by utilizing a number of cult organizations, including the Supreme Viking Confraternity, Degbam, Iceland, and Greenland.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Simon Lough has been detailed to lead the prosecution team before Justice Bolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court in Abuja today.
Specifically, they are alleged to have on October 29, 2023 at Moscow Road in Port Harcourt conspired to commit acts of terrorism by wilful destruction of public properties by invading, attacking, destroying and burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly, an offence 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 on October 29, 2023, at Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, you, Chime Eguma Ezebalike, 37, a businessman of Street 5, Radio Estate Ozuoba, Port Harcourt, Prince Lukman Oladele, 47, of Okocha Street, Port Harcourt, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Hon. Edison Ehie, and others who are currently at large, willfully and maliciously invaded, attacked, and set fire on the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex. As a result, you committed an offense that is punishable under section 1 of the Miscellaneous Offenses Act, Cap M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
It is anticipated that Justice Bolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court in Abuja would perform their arraignmet.
