Rivers assembly burning: Court declines to dismiss terrorism charges against Edison Ehie – Newstrends
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Rivers assembly burning: Court declines to dismiss terrorism charges against Edison Ehie

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Ehie Edison

Rivers assembly burning: Court declines to dismiss terrorism charges against Edison Ehie

Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court in Abuja has declined to dismiss the terrorism offences charges brought against the Chief of Staff to the Rivers State Governor Edison Ehie.

Justice Olajuwon held that Ehie who was the then Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly lacked legal powers to request for dismissal of the charges.

He upheld the submission of the counsel to the Inspector General of Police, Simon Lough, that Ehie was not yet competent to make any application until he appears in court to take his plea in the terrorism charges.

Ehie through his lawyer, Oluwole Aladedoye, had applied that the criminal charges against him and others be dropped on various grounds.

He claimed that the Federal High Court in Abuja has no jurisdiction to entertain the trial because the alleged offences were committed in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He also claimed that he had not been indicted by the police for any offence.

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His request was however opposed on the ground that Ehie had not yet appeared before the court to take his plea.

The counsel for the police cited section 396 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act ACJA 2015.

In a brief ruling, Justice Olajuwon dismissed the request of the former Speaker and upheld the arguments of the Inspector General of Police.

The judge added that the charge sheet only indicated that Ehie is at large and not yet listed on the charge as required by law.

Justice Olajuwon counselled the Chief of Staff to either surrender himself to the police or appear in court to take a plea before he could qualify to make any application.

The five defendants on the charge sheet are Chime Eguma Ezebalike, Prince Lukman Oladele, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Donald, and Ochueja ThankGod.

In the seven-count charges, the defendants were accused of committing alleged terrorism offences by invading, vandalizing, and burning down the Rivers State House of Assembly in the wake of the political crisis that rocked Port Harcourt in October last year.

Rivers assembly burning: Court declines to dismiss terrorism charges against Edison Ehie

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200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS

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Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa

200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has disclosed that about 200,000 repentant terrorists have so far dropped their arms and surrendered to troops in the North East, noting that the twin strategy of kinetic and non-kinetic operations was responsible for this achievement.

The CDS made this known at the Security and Justice Symposium organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in collaboration with the British High Commission, which began at the National Counterterrorism Centre in Abuja on Tuesday.

He disclosed that the theme of the symposium, ”Securing Peace, Ensuring Justice, Protection, Conduct, and Accountability,” speaks volumes about the deluge of security challenges the armed forces and security agencies are facing.

His words, “All the challenges we are facing today have to do with fairness, equity, justice, and accountability.

“There will not be peace without justice, equity, fairness, and accountability. In our operations, we are conducting both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies, which have to a large extent yielded significant successes, and we want to particularly thank the National Security Adviser for his great support in this regard.

“Nigeria is going through so many challenges, and we feel we’re able to address this, and everybody has a sense of belonging. A lot of the security challenges we are having, we are sure, will go down. I want to thank the National Security Advisor for all the support he’s given us, both the kinetic and the non-kinetic.

“We have said it; the kinetic aspect is just less than 30%. The non-kinetic has a lot to play. The non-kinetic, because when you have democracy, people must have the evidence of democracy. As long as it tells people to sleep well and be peaceful, and they are hungry, their children cannot eat, and all this creates more problems.

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“The issue of informants. We have to look at how we tackle this issue of informants. Because these are the people who have created the issue.

200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS

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Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police

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Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police

The spokesperson for the police in Delta State, SP Bright Edafe, has confirmed the death of two robbery suspects in the state.

Mr Edafe, who disclosed this to journalists on Tuesday in Warri, said that the deceased were killed from the bullets shot by their gang members.

According to him, the incident occurred on Wednesday at Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.

Mr Edafe explained that the deceased were leading the police surveillance team attached to the Ekpan Division to their hideout when they were caught during a shoot-out.

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“The suspects were arrested at Effurun roundabout with a bag containing 57 live cartridges and other items. They were leading the surveillance team to their hideout at Warri/Sapele road when their gang members, on sighting the vehicle of the police team, engaged them in a shootout.During the gun duel, the arrested suspects that were leading the police team were fatally wounded by the gun shot of their colleagues. The two injured suspects were taken to the hospital and later died while receiving treatment,” he said.

Mr Edafe said that items recovered from the hoodlums hideout included: one English pump action gun, one locally made cut-to-size gun and eight live cartridges.

Others were: six iPhones, Smart phones and a Rolex wrist watch.

He said that the command had intensified manhunt on the fleeing members of the gang.

 

Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police

(NAN)

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Akwa Ibom businessman abducted, driver killed, police orderly injured

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Dr. Samuel Ekerenam
Akwa Ibom businessman abducted, driver killed, police orderly injured
Gunmen kidnapped a prominent businessman, Dr. Samuel Ekerenam and k!lled his driver in Eket town, the headquarter of Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Ekerena, the owner of Hephzibah Mall, was abducted about 10:00pm on Saturday, 23 November, 2024.
It was gathered that the gunmen trailed the victim to the shopping complex, shooting sporadically to scare the passers-by away before whisking him away to an unknown destination.
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The body of Ekerenam’s driver was discovered in the pool of his blood, while his police orderly was severely wounded in the gun attack.
The spokesperson of the State Police Command, ASP Timfon John, who confirmed the incident on Monday, November 25, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Joseph Eribo has deployed tactical operatives to comb for the abducted businessman.
The PPRO added that the police were on top of the game and very soon the kidnap victim would be rescued and the perpetrators made to face the full weight of the law.

Akwa Ibom businessman abducted, driver killed, police orderly injured

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