A High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has issued a restraining order barring the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), 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 case is linked to the alleged arson at the Rivers State House of Assembly complex.
The defendants in the suit include: Inspector General of Police (1st Defendant), Rivers State Commissioner of Police (2nd Defendant), The Nigeria Police Force (3rd Defendant), Police Service Commission (4th Defendant), Director General, DSS (5th Defendant), Rivers State Director, DSS (6th Defendant) and the State Security Service as the 7th Defendant.
Justice I. Igwe, in issuing the order, prohibited the defendants from inviting, interrogating, detaining, or harassing the claimant until the substantive case is determined.
“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.”
The Court also directed all parties to maintain the status quo ante litem as of March 30, 2025, pending the hearing of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction.
Additionally, the Court granted the claimant leave to serve the Writ of Summons and other relevant processes on the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 7th Defendants through substituted means—specifically, by post via Red Star Express Courier Service to their respective addresses in Abuja and filing proof of delivery in Court.
The case is adjourned to April 39 for the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.
The controversy around the alleged arson at the Rivers State House of Assembly resurfaced recently when the immediate past Head of Service of Rivers State, George Nwaeke, in a series of allegations against Fubara’s administration.
Nwaeke accused Ehie of receiving funds from Fubara to orchestrate the alleged arson.
Fubara, Ehie, and the former Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Chijioke Ihunwo, who was also implicated, have denied the allegations, dismissing them as false and driven by Nwaeke’s alleged insatiable greed for wealth.