KINGSLEY EBERE
The Chairman of Council of Ndieze, Lagos State, Eze Chika Nwokedi, on Wednesday stormed the Yaba Magistrates Court for Ezendigbo of Ajao Estate, Eze Fredrick Nwajagu, as the Court ordered his remand in prison custody for 30 days without an option of bail.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that Eze Nwokedi was at the Court with prominent Igbo people after visiting SCID, Yaba and was told that the matter has been charged to Court.
Some of the Igbo Royal Fathers in the entourage of Eze (Dr) Nwokedi included Eze Augustine Ojukwu, Eze Ndigbo of Amuwo Odofin, Eze Alex Nwoye, Eze Ndigbo of Ejigbo, and Eze Nicholas Njoku.
Also the President Igbo Speaking Community, Lagos State, Chief Sunday Udeh, Chief Sunday Osai, Dr Okechukwu Uzuegbunam, Engr Chuks Onuegbu and others were equally there.
They were said to be in Court in solidarity to Eze Nwajiagu, who has been in detention at SCID, Yaba, before he was charged before the Court.
He was charged for allegedly threatening to bring the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to the State and conduct likely to cause breach of public peace.
The prosecutor, Thomas Nurudeen, told the Court that Nwajagu and some others, who are on the run, committed the offences on March 26 at No. 2, Akeem Shitu Street, Ajao Estate, Lagos.
He said the defendant, Eze Nwajiagu instilled fear in Lagos residents when he threatened to bring IPOB to the state, with the aim of shutting down the state for one month.
Nurudeen said the alleged offences of Nwajagu contravene Sections 168 (d) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
He pleaded not guilty.
His lead counsel, Barrister Nkechi Agubuzo, asked the Court to grant the defendant bail because the alleged offence was a bailable offence.
However, the prosecutor, Supol Thomas, objected to his bail application and asked the Court to remand the defendant in the Correctional Centre because his bail posed flight risk, which Barrister Nkechi Agubuzo, the lead counsel to Nwajiagu, objected to and submitted that the case is a bailable offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mr. Peter Nwaka, ordered the defendant to be remanded in custody for 30 days and directed the prosecutor to duplicate the file and send to it the DPP for advice.
The matter was adjourned till 3rd May, 2023, for mention for the report of the DPP’s advice to be available, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.
At the Court premises, Eze Nwokedi stated that they were at the Court to see how the matter would be resolved amicably because they cannot deny Eze Nwajiagu as an Igbo man.
He stated that he had gone to SCID, Yaba, before they were referred to the Court and they had to come to encourage him so that he will know that he was not abandoned by the Igbo in Lagos State.
Eze Nwokedi noted that the mistake has been made and what the Igbo want now is how to resolve the matter peaceful. He appealed to the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to intervene in the matter in order to release Eze Nwajiagu from custody.