A Lagos State High Court, located in Tafawa Balewa Square, has cleared and released Frederick Nwajagu, the state’s “Eze Ndigbo of Ajao Estate,” from terrorism-related charges.
The prosecution, the Lagos State Government, was unable to establish his terrorism charge beyond a reasonable doubt, according to Justice Yetunde Adesanya’s ruling.
He was sentenced to one year in prison without the possibility of a fine, however, when the court found him guilty of posing as a titled chief in Lagos, which is against the Oba and Chiefs Law of Lagos State.
However, Justice Adesanya ruled that Nwajagu would be let to return home because he had already served more time in prison than the allotted amount of time for the charge for more than two years while the trial was ongoing.
In a widely shared video, Eze Fredrick Nwajagu, 67, was arrested on April 1, 2023, for reportedly threatening to invite Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) members to Lagos to secure the properties of Igbo residents of the state.
The viral video, which lasted 49 seconds, included Nwajago saying, “IPOB, we will invite them. Their jobs are nonexistent. All of our shops will be protected by IPOB. And we must reimburse them. To do that, we must organise. We must do that. To ensure that they won’t assault us in the morning, afternoon, or at midnight, we need security.”
Nwajagu was charged with two counts of conspiracy and behaviour likely to create a disturbance of public peace
On March 26, at No. 2, Akeem Shitu Street., Ajao Estate, Lagos State, Eze Ndigbo and a few others at large committed the offences, according to the police prosecutor, SP Thomas Nurudeen, who testified in court.
When he threatened to bring IPOB to the state, he claimed that Nwajagu incited terror among the people of Lagos. It was also reported that Nwajagu had said in public that IPOB would close Lagos State for a month.
That being said, the defendant entered a not-guilty plea to the case.
The defendant was granted N1 million in bail on May 6th by Chief Magistrate Peter Nwaka, who required four sureties to be Lagos residents.
In addition, the court mandated that one of the sureties must possess a Lagos property that is registered with the land bureau and whose records must be filed with the court.
However, he failed to comply with the terms of his bail and was kept in detention.
The Lagos State Government charged Nwajagu on May 9, 2023, with nine counts that included, among other things, attempting to finance an act of terrorism, participating in a terrorist meeting to support a prohibited entity, attempting to commit acts of terrorism, and preparing to commit acts of terrorism under Sections 12(c), 18, 21, 29, and 12(a) of the Terrorism Prevention & Prohibition Act, 2022.
The defendant entered a not-guilty plea to each of the nine counts, and the trial was postponed until July 4, 2024.
Raulat Ibrahim, a prosecution witness, informed the court during the trial that Eze-Ndigbo was not a legitimate chieftaincy title in Lagos State.
The processes involved in verifying a chieftaincy title in Lagos State were described to the court by the witness, a government officer with the Ministry of Local Governments, Chieftaincy Affairs, and Rural Developments.
According to the witness, Lagos State’s 2015 Obas and Chiefs Law governed the process.
In Ajao Estate, she observed, there was neither an Oba nor any other recognised leader.
The witness clarified that the Lagos State Standing Tribunal inquiry for chieftaincy matters will get the requirement letter from the Obas after it has been forwarded by the local government to the ministry and then to the Ministry of Justice.
“Interested parties will join the standing tribunal, and the name will be published in the national newspaper.
“Following resolution, the file will be returned to our ministry for additional handling. Then we start over, going to the governor’s office, the Ministry of Justice, etc. After that, a letter of permission will be issued by the Ministry.
“The Oba shall be installed by the ministry once the Governor sends a certificate of issue for approval on the day of installation.
“The ministry’s permanent secretary will sign the letter of approval. Chief does not have an installation. Ibrahim remarked, “The letter demonstrates his recognition as a chief in Lagos State.”
Ibrahim further informed the judge that the defendant did not identify himself as either of the recognised chiefs, Elegushi of Ikate or Baale of Addo.
