A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has issued a restraining order prohibiting the Department of State
Services (DSS), Nigeria Police Force, and five other defendants from summoning or taking any action against Edison
Ehie, the Chief of Staff to the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara.
The alleged arson of the Rivers State House of Assembly building is connected to the case.
Inspector General of Police (First Defendant), Rivers State Commissioner of Police (Second Defendant), Nigeria
Police Force (Third Defendant), Police Service Commission (Fourth Defendant), Director General, DSS (Fifth
Defendant), Rivers State Director, DSS (Second Defendant), and the State Security Service (Seventh Defendant) are the defendants in the lawsuit.
In his order, Justice I. Igwe forbade the defendants from inviting, questioning, holding, or harassing the claimant until
the outcome of the substantive matter was known.
“THAT an Order of Interim Injunction be and is hereby issued restraining the Defendants, by themselves or by their
agents, servants, assigns, privies, or whosoever, from further inviting or demanding the appearance of the Claimant at
their respective offices in Abuja or anywhere else or harassing, intimidating, arresting, or detaining the Claimant in
connection with the alleged arson on the hallowed chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly, which occurred
on 29th March 2023, on account of the statement made on or about 27th March 2025 or thereafter by Dr. George
Nwaeke, the former Head of Service of the Government of Rivers State, or on account of any statement made by anyone whosoever or whensoever pending the hearing of motion of notice for interlocutory injunction.”
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In addition, the Court ordered the parties to keep things as they are ante litem as of March 30, 2025, while the Motion
on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction is being heard.
The claimant was also given permission by the court to serve the Writ of Summons and other pertinent processes on
the first, third, fourth, fifth, and seventh defendants using alternative methods, namely by mail using Red Star Express
Courier Service to their individual Abuja addresses and submitting proof of delivery to the court.
The application on notice for an interlocutory injunction has been postponed until April 30.
George Nwaeke, the immediate former Head of Service of Rivers State, made a number of accusations against
Fubara’s government, reigniting the debate surrounding the alleged arson at the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Nwaeke said that Ehie had received money from Fubara to plan the purported arson.
Fubara, Ehie, and Chijioke Ihunwo, the former Chairman of the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area who was also implicated, all refuted the accusations, calling them untrue and motivated by Nwaeke’s purportedly unquenchable desire for cash.
