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Tag: Edison Ehie

  • Rivers court dismisses police objection against Fubara’s CoS

    Rivers court dismisses police objection against Fubara’s CoS

    The Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has dismissed the preliminary objection by the Nigerian Police challenging its jurisdiction to hear the fundamental rights suit filed by Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff (CoS) to Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

    The court told the lawyer to the police, Celestine Dickson, that his preliminary objection lacked merit.

    The presiding judge, Justice Sika Aprioku, in his ruling, assumed jurisdiction of the matter and held that the none joinder of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in a matter that the Commissioner of Police was a party to could not render the suit incompetent.

    The judge said that the application by the police lacked merit and dismissed it with a cost of N100,000 in favour of Ehie.

    Aprioku also granted the prayers of Ehie’s lawyer, Damian Okoro, restraining the police from arresting, detaining, harassing or inviting Ehie based on the allegations contained in the suit filed by Martin linking the Chief of Staff to the destruction of the hallow chambers of the Rivers state House of Assembly.

    The judge said: “The preliminary objection raised on the issue of jurisdiction lacks merit and is hereby dismissed.

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    “That a declaration be and is hereby granted restraining the respondents howsoever from arresting the applicant based on the trumped up charge in charge number FHR/A BJ/CR/25/2024 used as a tool to settle political scores and vendetta against the applicant at the behest and instigation of one Martins Amaewhule over the burning and destruction of the hallowed chamber of the Rivers State House of Assembly is illegal, unwarranted, unconstitutional and constitutes an infringement against applicant’s fundamental rights.

    “An order of injunction be and is hereby granted restraining the first and second respondents whether by themselves or through their subordinates, agents, privies, or any person howsoever described from inviting, demanding the applicant’s attendance at the first and second respondents’ offices or anywhere harassing, intimidating, arresting, detaining the applicant in connection with the arson on the Rivers State House of Assembly in gross contravention to the applicant’s rights to personal liberty.”

  • Kinsmen kick against linking Fubara’s Chief of Staff to murder, terrorism

    Kinsmen kick against linking Fubara’s Chief of Staff to murder, terrorism

    The kinsmen of Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff to Rivers Governor, Sir. Siminalayi Fubara, have described the allegations of murder and terrorism against him as unacceptable.

    Ehie was declared wanted by the police in connection with the bombing of the hallowed chamber of the State House of Assembly on 29th September, 2023.

    But his kinsmen under the auspices of Ekpeye Ethnic Nationality in the State called on all parties to the political crisis in the state to respect the eight point peace agreement.

    Reading the position of the kinsmen on Saturday in Port Harcourt, the Vice-Chairman, Rivers West Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Robinson Ewor, said the ongoing political issues in the state should be separated from insecurity.

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    Ewor, a former Deputy Leader, warned against trivialising the death of a former Divisional Police Officer of Ahoada, SP Bako Angbashin, whom he described as a gallant officer, that gave his all for the peace the state.

    He said: “Since October 30, 2023 it has been one tale to the other. The first story was that people protesting the purported move to peace executive Governor of the state made their way into the Rivers State House of Assembly, set ablaze certain portion of the complex, vehicles and other valuables.

    “On another breath, that hoodlums made their way into the Assembly complex and set ablaze the hallowed chambers.

    “Whichever that is correct, it is for the law enforcement agents to carry out a thorough investigation with a view to unravelling those behind the dastardly act.

    “But today the story is entirely that of terrorism and murder of the DPO of Ahoada Police Division, SP Bako Angbanshin and other police informants.

    “There is no correlation between the murder of the DPO which occured on September 8, 2023 at Odiemudie forest, Ahoada East LGA and the event that took place at the Rivers State House of Assembly on October 30th, 2023.”

    He said that linking the slain DPO to the bombing of the Assembly was making the public lose confidence in the police force and its authorities.

    Ewor said: “Nigerians know those who murdered SP Angbashin. The police shoukd help arrest and prosecute them.
    For those already arrested and charged, the police should diligently prosecute them. “

    Ewor described Ehie as an Ekpeye son from Ozochi community in Ahoada East LGA, saying he was first elected into the Assembly in 2015 and held different positions and that his character had been credible in the public.

    He said: “Ehie who is now the Chief of Staff to the Governor is our son and we cherish his exploits so far in the political arena of Rivers State and indeed Nigeria.

    “That Edison is a law abiding citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria without any criminal record to date. That Edison is not a murderer and cannot be, nor a terrorist.

    “That his stand on the current political crisis in the state is that of principle, truth and we stand fully with him.”

    While commending Fubara for implementing the eight point peace agreement brokered by the President, the people called on all parties to respect the agreement.

    Ewor said: “We call on all parties in the paece pact to respect it, especially the only request made by our governor that none of his supporters be intimidated or victimized on account of this crisis.

    “We call on President Bola Tinubu to ensure the full implementation of the eight point agreement. We also call on the President to call the police authority to order.

    ” It is a shame and unacceptable for our police authority to link the murder of SP Angbashin that took place in a forest in September 8, 2023 to the planned impeachment of the leader of the House of Assembly that took place in October 2023.

    “That the police authority should hands off all investigations into the Rivers crisis because political solution to the crisis is already in place and its implementation ongoing. “