A Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square has denied the bail application of the “Eze Ndigbo of Ajao Estate”, Frederick Nwajagu.
Justice Yetunde Adesanya instead ordered an accelerated hearing of the terrorism trial of the defendant which she fixed for October 3, 2023.
On May 9, 2023 Nwajagu was arraigned by the Lagos State Government on a nine-count charge bordering on attempts to commit Acts of Terrorism under Section 403(2) of the Criminal law of Lagos State, 2015; Participation in Terrorism Meeting to Support a Proscribed Entity, Attempt to finance an Act of Terrorism, Preparation to Comit an Act of Terrorism under Sections 12(c), 18, 21, 29 & 12(a) of the Terrorism (Prevention & Prohibition) Act, 2022, amongst others.
At the last sitting of the court on July 25, Nwajagu’s counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chino Obiagwu, had applied for his bail.
Obiagwu told the court that the defendant was a widower who had six children whom he could not abandon and would therefore would not jump bail.
He also cited the medical condition of his client.
The senior advocate added that the defendant does not possess an international passport, and was therefore not a flight risk.
He reminded the court that Uwajagu has been granted bail at the lower court but was not able to perfect the bail due to its stringent conditions.
The prosecution counsel, a State Deputy Director for Public Prosecutions, Mr Jonathan Ogunsanya, opposed the application and asked the court to order an accelerated hearing of the case.
Ogunsanya also said that the circumstances under which the defendant was granted bail at the lower court was different from the information filed against him at the high court.
At the resumed hearing on Friday, Justice Adesanya refused Nwajagu’s application.
The court held that the seriousness of the alleged offence and the severity of its punishment, compelled the refusal of the bail application.
Justice Adesanya held: “Based on the seriousness of the offence, the severity of the punishment and the proof of evidence before the court, the court is constrained to refuse the bail application.
“The application for accelerated hearing is hereby granted”
The judge also directed the officials of the correctional facility to make arrangements for Nwajagu to visit a government hospital for his treatment. She adjourned till October 3 for commencement of trial.
