A Chief Magistrates’ Court in the Sabo area of Yaba, Lagos, granted bail to Fredrick Nwajagu, the Eze Igbo of Ajao Estate, who threatened to invite members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to Lagos.
Remember that Eze Fredrick Nwajagu was arrested on April 1 after a viral video in which he threatened to invite IPOB members to Lagos to secure the properties of Igbo residents.
On Wednesday, Nwajagu appeared in court for allegedly threatening to bring the banned pro-Biafra group.
In a ruling on an application, Chief Magistrate Peter Nwaka granted the defendant bail in the sum of N1 million with four sureties, all of whom must be Lagos residents.
The court also ordered that one of the sureties own a property in Lagos that is registered with the land bureau and has its documents deposited with the court.
Before the court granted the defendant bail, the Prosecution made an oral application stating that the court’s remand order remained in effect pending receipt of the DPP’s advice.
Nkechi Agubuzor, counsel for the defendant, argued that the court has a duty to balance the cause of justice, and that this duty should be exercised judicially and judiciously. She requested permission from the court to proceed with her oral application for her client’s bail.
While noting that the DPP’s advice had not been received, the magistrate also noted that no acknowledgment of the matter had been received from the DPP’s office.
Following the defendant’s counsel’s oral application, Magistrate Nwaka granted bail to the defendant.
Remember that on April 5, the 67-year-old was docked by police on a two-count charge of conspiracy and conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace.
SP Thomas Nurudeen, the police prosecutor, told the court that the Eze Ndigbo and others at large committed the crimes on March 26 at No. 2, Akeem Shitu Street, Ajao Estate, Lagos State.
He claimed that Nwajagu instilled fear in Lagos residents by threatening to bring IPOB to the state. Nwajagu was also reported to have publicly stated that IPOB would close Lagos State for a month.
According to Nurudeen, the alleged offenses violate Sections 168 (d) and 411 of the Lagos State Criminal Law, 2015.
The defendant’s plea was not taken at that proceeding because it was a remand proceeding to ensure lawful detention.
The defendant was simply remanded at the Ikoyi custodial facility for 30 days pending the legal advice of the State’s Director of Public Prosecution, DPP.
Before adjourning the case until today, May 3, for mention, the Chief Magistrate said he would seek advice from the state’s DPP, Dr Babajide Martins, on how to proceed.