AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
THE Ebonyi State Police command has arraigned a 32-year-old man for allegedly causing Governor David Umahi “extreme fear”.
The man, identified as Pius Ogbonnaya Okike, was arraigned on a two-count charge, bordering on causing extreme fear and belonging to a cult group, popularly referred to as Vikings Confraternity, in a suit marked, ‘MAB/168C/2021’.
Okike was said to have caused the Ebonyi State Governor extreme fear via a WhatsApp chat on February 28, 2021, within the Abakaliki Magisterial District.
Speaking during the arraignment, the trial Magistrate, Blessing Iheabuchi-Chukwu, ordered the remand of the suspect in the Correctional Centre because the Magistrate’s Court lacked the jurisdiction to hear such matters.
She directed that all documents and evidences in the matter be forwarded to the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) for further prosecution.
The matter was adjourned to a later date for further prosecution.
The charge reads, “That you Pius Ogbonnaya Okike ‘m’ on the 28th day of February 2021, at Abakaliki in the Abakaliki magisterial district, did belong to a secret cult group known as Vikings confraternity and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3(1)(3) and 4(1), and punishable under Section 5 of Ebonyi State Law prohibiting secret cult activities and carrying of offensive weapons in Ebonyi State Cap 12 Vol 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
“That you, Pius Ogbonnaya Okike ‘m’, on the same date and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, did cause extreme fear to His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr David Nweze Umahi ‘m’ by phone through WhatsApp chat, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 12(1)(a) and punishable under section 12(2) of Ebonyi State Internal Security Enforcement and other Related Matters Law Cap 55 vol 2, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.”
