Court restrains police from arresting Fubara’s chief of staff

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has granted a motion ex-parte filed by the Chief of Staff to the Rivers State Government House, Edison Ehie, against the Nigerian Police.

Ehie had gone to the court to restrain the police or other security agencies from arresting, detaining and harassing him over his alleged involvement in the invasion of the recent  Rivers State House of Assembly.

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

Earlier today, a Federal High Court in Abuja issued an arrest warrant for Ehie, who is suspected of being involved in the burning of the state House of Assembly.

On October 30, 2023, an explosion shook the state assembly building amid reports that some lawmakers were trying to remove Governor Siminalayi Fubara from office.

It was reported that certain individuals closely aligned with the governor were allegedly involved in the incident.

The court also issued orders for the arrest of Jinjiri Bala, Happy Benedict, Progress Joseph, Adokiye Oyagiri, and Chibuike Peter, who are suspected of involvement in criminal activities.

The Martin Amaewhule-led lawmakers had allegedly written criminal petitions against Edison Ehie to the Rivers State Police Command on the invasion and burning of the hallowed chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly by unknown hoodlums.

In the petition, the Amaewhule-led House of Assembly had demanded the police to arrest and prosecute Ehie, who is now the Chief of Staff of Rivers State Government House, for his alleged involvement in the burning down of the House of Assembly building.

Fubara had on Monday sworn in Ehie as CoS and five others as Special Advisers.