Justice Yetunde Adesanya of the Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) has declined to grant the Eze Ndigbo of Ajao Estate, Frederick Nwajagu, bail over an allegation of terrorism.
Justice Adesanya held, in her ruling, that the court refused the bail application on the grounds of the seriousness of the alleged offence and the severity of its punishment.
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 of attempting to commit acts of terrorism.
The defendant was also accused of attempting to carry out acts of terrorism under Section 403(2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015; participation in a terrorism meeting to support a criminal 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.
Following his arraignment, the defendant, on July 25, applied for bail through his counsel, Chino Obiagu (SAN).
Obiagu had urged the judge to grant his client bail on health grounds.
The lawyer had argued that the defendant was a widower with six children and that he would not abandon them, therefore, would not jump bail.
But prosecutor Jonathan Ogunsanya, the Lagos State Deputy Director for Public Prosecutions, opposed the application, asking the court to order an accelerated case hearing instead.
In her ruling Justice Adesanya declined Nwajagu’s application but granted Ogunsanya’s prayer for an accelerated hearing of the case.
Justice Adesanya held: “Based on the seriousness of the offence, the severity of the punishment and the proof of evidence before the court, the court is constrained to refuse the bail application.
“The application for an accelerated hearing is at this moment granted,” the court held.
She, however, directed the correctional facility officials to arrange for Nwajagu to visit a government hospital for his treatment.
The judge then adjourned the matter to October 3 for the commencement of the trial.
