Court Dismisses Suit Seeking Arrest, Trial Of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Leaders

JUSTICE Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, dismissed a suit seeking the arrest, probe and prosecution of the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Professor George Obiozor, and other leaders of the group over alleged contempt.

The Judge, in a ruling, held that the applicant, The Registered Trustees of Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly, led by Mr. Onuorah Basil Onyeachonam, failed to show that Obiozor and others committed any offence known to law and which should warrant their arrest, investigation and prosecution.

The Judge gave the ruling after evaluating the processes filed by the applicant.

According to him, the process failed to establish a prima facie case to warrant the granting of the reliefs sought.

The Assembly had, in the suit marked: FHC/ ABJ/ CS/ 56/ 2021, claimed that obi oz or and other leaders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, who emerged from the recent election, were in contempt by allegedly running an illegal organisation.

The applicant in the suit, which had the Inspector General of Police ( IGP) and Attorney General of the Federation ( AGF) as respondents, claimed that while it was duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission ( CAC), the group with a similar name, led by Obiozor and others, was unregistered.

It then filed an ex- parte application for leave to apply for the issuance of an order of mandamus, compelling the IGP and the AGF “to arrest, investigate and commence criminal proceedings” against Obiozor and others for allegedly running an illegal and/ or unregistered association known as