Justice Yetunde Adesanya of the Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) has fixed Wednesday (today) to commence the trial of the Eze Ndigbo of Ajao Estate, Lagos, Frederick Nwajagu for alleged terrorism.
Justice Adesanya fixed the date following the absence of Nwajagu’s lawyer from the proceedings on Tuesday.
The 67 year old Eze Ndigbo was arrested on April 1, 2023 by the Department of State Services (DSS) over an alleged threat to invite members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to Lagos to secure properties of Igbo people in the state.
On May 9, the then Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyo Onigbanjo (SAN) had arraigned the defendant on a nine-count charge bordering on the alleged offence in a suit marked LD/21505C/2023.
The defendant was accused of attempting carry out an acts of terrorism under Section 403(2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015; participation in a terrorism meeting to support a proscribed entity, attempt to finance an act of terrorism and preparation to commit an act of terrorism under Sections 12(c), 18, 21, 29 & 12(a) of the Terrorism (Prevention & Prohibition) Act, 2022,” amongst others.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Justice Adesanya had then adjourned the matter to July 4 for commencement of trial.
At the resumption of proceedings on Tuesday, the prosecution was present in court but there was no legal representative for the defendant.
When the court asked him about the whereabouts of his counsel, Nwajagu said he was surprised about his absence and that the lawyer had promised to be in court alongside his junior.
Justice Adesanya adjourned till July 5 for trial to enable the defendant to sort out the issue of his representation in court.
On April 5, a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Sabo, Yaba, remanded Nwajago for allegedly threatening to bring the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to the state.
