16th January 2025, NewsOrient, News, Law And Society

A Lagos State High Court, sitting at Race Course, has on Wednesday acquitted and discharged Eze Frederick Nwajagu, the Eze Ndigbo of Ajao Estate, of terrorism charges levelled against him in 2023 by Lagos State Government.

The court ruled that “the Prosecution, Lagos State Government, failed to prove any of the ingredients of the offence of terrorism charges against the Defendant.”

It would be recalled that Eze Nwajagu was thrown into detention by the Lagos State Government in 2023, charged for “terrorism and other offences for allegedly “making a video warning the leader of transport workers, MC Oluomo, and other Yoruba youths “to cease persecution of the Igbo and burning of Igbo-dominated markets in Lagos State or else he would be compelled to invite the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to secure Igbo markets and assets in Lagos State.”

Although the court acquitted Eze Nwajagu of the alleged terrorism charges, it “convicted and sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment for an alleged “offence of parading himself as a certified Chief in Lagos State, contrary to the Oba and Chiefs Law of Lagos State.”

But because Nwajagu had been incarcerated for almost two years before the judgement, the court ordered that he be “released immediately.”

NewsOrient reports that the judgement has attracted reactions from observers. For example, a report in TheNiche Newspaper on Thursday said “one of Nwajagu’s lawyers, Fabian Onwughalu, President Emeritus of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos chapter, has said in a statement on the development that “the defence team would work towards upturning the conviction.”

“We shall strive to set aside the conviction on parading himself as a Chief in Lagos State on appeal as the prosecution did not prove the offence to warrant the conviction.

“Moreover, the Ezeigbo institution is not recognised by the law of Lagos State, and so have nothing to do with the Oba and Chiefs Law.

“Also, the conviction offends the fundamental rights of Freedom of Association of Ndigbo in Lagos State,” TheNiche Newspaper quoted Onwughalu as saying.

Festus Ajaku, in a brief interview with NewsOrient on the judgement said, “Yes, the conviction is interesting. What is even more interesting is threat to challenge it by going on appeal. I will say time has come to ascertain the true position of the law on Eze Ndigbo phenomenon in other lands and on similar titles like Sariki of Hausa community in Agege, Umuahia, etc or on Yoruba leaders’ titles in Kano, Aba, Port Harcourt and in other climes.

“I am eager to hear the results of this appeal of this conviction up to the Supreme Court,” Ajaku, a lawyer, said.

Photo Credit/Source: TheNiche Newspaper

~ NewsOrient

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