Controversy, Wednesday, ensued as two Judges of Federal High Courts gave conflicting orders on the arrest of the Chief of Staff to the Rivers State Governor, Edison Ehie.

While an Abuja High Court, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite issued a warrant of arrest on Ehie over his alleged involvement in the burning of Rivers State House of Assembly, Justice Sika Aprioku of Port Harcourt Division, barres the police from arresting the Chief of Staff.

The Abuja High Court Federal High Court, had, Wednesday issued a warrant for the arrest of the Chief of Staff over his alleged involvement in the burning of the state House of Assembly.

The court also ordered that Jinjiri Bala, Happy Benedict, Progress Joseph, Adokiye Oyagiri, and Chibuike Peter also known as Rambo be arrested for allegedly participating in some criminal activities.

Chime Ezebalike, Lukman Oladele, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Donald, and Ochueja Thankgod were remanded last Thursday by Justice Bolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court in Abuja on a similar matter.

In the seven charges preferred against them, they were accused of committing alleged terrorism offences by invading, vandalising, and burning down Rivers State House of Assembly in the wake of the political crisis that rocked Port Harcourt in October last year.

Although Ehie’s name was prominently mentioned in the case, he was not listed among the defendants.

The police were the prosecution in that matter.

However, in an ex-parte application brought by the Inspector General of Police, Ehie, and five others were the defendants.

The ex-parte application was predicated on Sections 37, 113, 114, 84, and 184 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution as well as Section 32 of the Police Act 2020.

In the ex-parte application, the defendants were accused of conspiracy, arson, terrorism, attempted murder, and murder of a Superintendent of Police, Bako Agbashim, and five other police informants.

The judge held, “That the complainant’s application dated and filed 29th day of January 2024 is granted as prayed.

“That an order of this Honourable Court is hereby made issuing a warrant of arrest against Ehie, Bala, Benneth, Joseph, Oyagiri, and Chibuike (aka Rambo) fleeing defendants in the case.”

But in a contradictory ruling, Justice Aprioku granted an ex-parte order restraining the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies from arresting, detaining, and or harassing Ehie.

The order which was granted following a motion ex-parte filed by the Chief of Staff to the Governor had sought to stop the police from arresting him over his alleged involvement in the burning of the Hallowed Chambers.

Justice Aprioku granted the order before adjourning the matter to the 6th of February for hearing of the substantive application.

An explosion had rocked the complex of the state assembly amid alleged moves by some lawmakers to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara on October 30, 2023.

Some loyalists of the governor were said to have been behind the incident.