By Ken Chiwendu
The Federal Government has drawn up 7- count terrorism charges against four residents of Port Harcourt who allegedly wilfully invaded, and razed the Rivers State House of Assembly on 29 October,2023.
The suspects are Chima Eguma Ezebalike, Prince Lukman Oladele, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Donald and Ochueja Thankgod.
Also named among the suspects was the factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Edison Ehie and others said to be at large .
The suspects are to be arraigned before Justice Bolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court in Abuja with DCP Simon Lough as leader of the prosecution team.
The four 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 Thursday.
Current matters reports that the charge sheet has the name of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun as the plaintiff
The suspects were also accused of killing a Superintendent of Police, (SP) Bako Agbashim and five police informants- Charles Osu , Ogbonna Ejah ,Idaowuka Felix Paul Victor Chibuogu, and Saturday Edi at a community in Ahoada East Local Government Area of the state.
They were said to have perpetrated their acts of violence using various cult groups, namely- Supreme Viking Confraternity, Degbam, Iceland and Greenland.
The offences are 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 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 and armed with dynamite, iron rods, lighters and other offensive weapons willfully and maliciously invaded, attacked and set fire on the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 1 of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
