Lagos High Court sitting in Tafawa Balewa Square has refused to grant bail to Frederick Nwajagu, the Eze Ndigbo of Ajao Estate.
Justice Yetunde Adesanya held that the court is constrained to refuse Nwajagu’s bail application based on the seriousness of the alleged offence and the severity of its punishment.
Nwajagu is charged with nine counts bordering on an attempt to commit terrorism, participating in terrorism, meeting to support a proscribed entity, and financing terrorism.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defendant had, on July 25, applied for bail, citing his medical reports.
He said that he was not a flight risk.
In its ruling on Friday, the court denied the defendant bail and ordered an accelerated hearing of the case.
Justice Adesanya further directed correctional centre officials to arrange for Nwajagu to visit a public hospital for treatment.
It should be recall that the counsel to the defendant, E. C. Obiagu, SAN, had, at the last adjourned date, prayed the court to grant bail to the defendant on medical grounds.
In response, Jonathan Ogunsanya, the counsel for the prosecution, urged the court to deny the bail request.
METROWATCH reports that Nwajagu was arrested in April by the operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) over a video in which he threatened to invite members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to Lagos to protect the properties of the Igbo people living in the state.
Text except headline courtesy Daily post.