Edison Ehie, chief of staff to suspended governor Sim Fubara has secured court order against any impending arrest over allegations contained in the video clip released by George Nweke, the former head of service in Rivers State.
Nweke had alleged many things against Ehie including sitting fire on the state’s House of Assembly complex.
Now, Ehie has gone to court to secure protection through an order restraining the Nigerian Police and Department of State Security (DSS) from arresting or inviting for questioning.
The order came from a high court in Port Harcourt which sat on Thursday, April 3, 2025, led by a justice, I.P. C. Igwe, who gave the injunction in a ruling on Suit NO: PHC/1113/CS/2025 filed by Ehie as Claimant/Applicant.
The chief of staff had sought an order against Inspector-General of Police, Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Police Command, the Nigeria Police Force, Police Service Commission, the Director-General of the SSS, Rivers State Director, and the SSS as Defendant/Respondents.
The order from a motion for determination which was moved on Thursday, April 3, 2025. Igwe of High Court 14, after hearing Damian Okoro (SAN), Counsel for Ehie, then ordered, “That an order of interim injunction be and is hereby issued restraining the Defendants by selves or by their agents, servants, assigns, privies or whosoever from further inviting, demanding appearance of the Claimant at their respective offices in Abuja or anywhere else or harassing, intimidating, arresting or detaining the Claimant in connection with the alleged arson on the hallowed Chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly which occurred on 29th October, 2023 on account of statement made on or about 27th March, 2025.”
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He asked that whatever Nweke, former Head of Service of the Government of Rivers State said in the video or on account of any statement made by anyone whosoever, wheresoever or when soever pending the hearing of the Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction.
“That leave be and is hereby granted to the Claimants to issue and serve the Writ of Summons and all other relevant processes in this suit for service on the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 7th Defendants out of jurisdiction of this Honourable Court and in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory through their respective addresses as stated in the motion paper, namely: 1st and 3rd Defendants: Louis Edet House, Area II, Garki, Abuja. 4th Defendant: Through the Chairman, Police Service Commission, Federal Secretariat Complex, Shehu Shagari Way, Abuja, FCT. 6th and 7th Defendants: National Headquarters, Yellow House, Aso Drive, Maitama, Abuja.
“That the Writ and its accompanying processes shall in line with Section 98 of the Sheriffs and Civil Procedures Act be marked as a concurrent writ for service out of jurisdiction in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“That It is further ordered that leave be and is hereby also granted to the Claimant to serve the Writ of Summons and all other relevant processes in this suit on the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 7th Defendants by substituted means to wit: by post through Red Star Express Courier Service to the said 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 7th Defendants’ Addresses at Abuja in their respective addresses as stated in the motion papers and filing in Court evidence of such post and delivery of the said processes.
“That both parties are hereby directed to maintain the status quo ante litem as at 30 March, 2025 pending the hearing of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction.”
The claimant is to enter into an undertaking in the sum of N2m to indemnify the Defendants if the substantive motion turns out to be frivolous. That the substantive case is adjourned to 30th April, 2025 for the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction.”
The order demanded that both parties be directed to maintain the status quo ante litem as at 30 March, 2025 pending the hearing of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction.
