Court Remands Rivers APC Candidate In Prison Over Inciting Comments

• Faces charges of alleged conspiracy, treasonable felony

A Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, has remanded the lawmaker representing Etche/Omuma federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Ephraim Nwuzi, to the Nigerian Correctional Centre in the state.

This followed a remand proceeding brought against him by the Rivers State Police Command just two days to the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

According to the police, the federal lawmaker, who is also the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Etche-Omuma Federal Constituency in the February 25, 2023 election, is accused of treasonable felony, conspiracy, motion of communal crisis and inciting violence.

When the matter was mentioned in Court on Wednesday, counsel to the accused, Emenike Ebete, made an oral bail application which was however opposed by the prosecution and the Investigation Police Officers in charge of the matter.

They pleaded with the Court that Hon Nwuzi be remanded in order to pave the way for proper investigation and his arraignment.

After listening to the arguments from both parties, Chief Magistrate O Amadi-Nna ordered that Ephraim Nwuzi be remanded in prison custody based on the seriousness of the allegations against him.

Addressing journalists outside the court premises, Counsel to the accused legislator, Ebete said the offences preferred against his client were insufficient to warrant a remand.

He said; “We have also submitted to the court that the offences disclosed in the particulars and affidavit attached to the alleged allegations were not sufficient enough for him to be remanded.

“The court in its wisdom held that the offences are gracious and that he should be remanded in prison custody until the 3rd of March 2023, pending when a charge will be preferred against him by the state.”

The Police arrested Nwuzi on Wednesday morning at his residence in Chokocho, Etche Local Government Area by allegedly breaking into his apartment.

The spokesperson of the state Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko had in a statement said the Supervising Assistant Inspector General of Police for the elections in Rivers State, Abutu Yaro, had invited Hon. Nwuzi for questioning.

Iringe-Koko said the invitation was in connection with an inciting video that went viral as he allegedly directed his supporters to attack some persons, including officials of INEC during the elections.