A Lagos State High Court, presided over by Justice Yetunde Adesanya, has acquitted Frederick Nwajagu, self-proclaimed “Eze Ndigbo of Ajao Estate,” of terrorism charges.
The ruling, delivered at the Tafawa Balewa Square courthouse, found that the prosecution, represented by the Lagos State Government, failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove Nwajagu’s involvement in terrorist activities beyond a reasonable doubt.
The court, however, found him guilty of parading himself as a titled chief in Lagos, contrary to the Oba and Chiefs Law of Lagos State, an offence for which he was consequently sentenced to one year imprisonment, without an option of fine.
Justice Adesanya held that since Nwajagu has been in the Correctional Centre for over two years for the alleged offence while the trial lasted, he would be allowed to go home, as he has already served more than the jail term stipulated for the offence.
Eze Fredrick Nwajagu, 67, was arrested on April I, 2023, after a viral video showed him allegedly threatening to invite members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra to Lagos to secure properties of Igbo people living in the state.
In the video, Nwajago was heard saying, “IPOB, we will invite them. They have no job. All of the IPOB will protect all of our shops. And we have to pay them. We have to mobilise for that. We have to do that. We must have our security so that they will stop attacking us at midnight, in the morning, and in the afternoon.”
