Court Remands Rivers Reps Member In Prison Over Inciting Comments

A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt has remanded the lawmaker representing Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Ephraim Nwuzi, to the Nigerian Correctional Centre in the Rivers State for 10 days.

Nwuzi was remanded on Wednesday, February 22, after he was arrested at his residence in Chokocho, Etche LGA by policemen over an inciting video where he allegedly directed his supporters to shoot residents and INEC officials during the election.

This followed a remand proceeding preferred against him by the Rivers State Police Command.

The police had filed a remand warrant against the federal lawmaker, who is also the All Progressives Congress candidate for Etche-Omuma Federal Constituency in Saturday’s election 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 application for bail, which was opposed by the prosecution, who requested that he be remanded to make way for proper investigation and arraignment.

Chief Magistrate O Amadi-Nna after listening to the arguments remanded Nwuzi, who is seeking to be re-elected on Saturday, February 25, 2023.

Speaking to newsmen outside the court session, Ebete said the offences preferred against his client were insufficient to warrant a remand.

“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,” he said.