A Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square has acquitted Frederick Nwajagu, the Eze Ndigbo of Ajao Estate, of all terrorism-related charges after spending nearly two years in detention at the Nigeria Correctional facility in Ikoyi.
The defendant had been accused of attempting to incite violence by inviting members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to protect properties and businesses of South easterners in Lagos. The charges stemmed from a video that surfaced in April 2023, where he warned against attacks on igbo residents.
In her judgement, Justice Yetunde Adesanya declared that there was no sufficient evidence to convict Mr Nwajagu on the terrorism charges brought against him by the Lagos State Government.
But, the court found him guilty of violating Lagos State’s Oba and Chiefs Law for unlawfully parading himself as a certified chief. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison for the offense but was released immediately due to the time he had already served.
In his reaction, Mr Nwajagu’s defense counsel, Fabian Onwughalu, hailed the judgment as a landmark victory, but says he will appeal the conviction on the traditional title charge.
