An ongoing attempt by the Federal Government to arraign ten suspects accused of importing firearms and ammunition into Nigeria took an unexpected turn at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
This occurred when two of the accused rejected legal assistance, delaying the proceedings.
The arraignment, which was scheduled to take place before Justice Emeka Nwite, could not proceed because two of the accused individuals did not have legal representation.
Their refusal to accept free legal services offered by two lawyers present in court further stalled the process.
Who Are the Accused?
The ten individuals involved in this case are Ali Samson Ofoma, Okechukwu Gabriel Charles, Kingsley Mbibi Chinasa, Oroghodo Maxwell, Akinkuade Mayowa Segun, Augustine John Elechi, Osumini Kennedy, Ajala Wahab Ojo, Faboro Oluwatimilehin, and Tolulope Ogundepo.
These defendants face serious allegations of importing 844 prohibited firearms and over 112,500 rounds of ammunition.
These illegal items were said to have been concealed in plumbing materials within a container numbered MAEU-9165396.
This alleged act took place on June 20, 2024, at Onne in Port Harcourt, in violation of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
Allegations of Terrorism
Additionally, the accused are also being charged with altering the consignment's bill of lading.
The bill was allegedly falsified, changing the consignment's recipient from Ola Gold Maratine Services to Dan Autos Limited.
The container was reportedly diverted from the West African Container Terminal to WAX Logistics Limited in an attempt to cover up the illegal arms shipment.
In a separate count, it is alleged that Ali Samson Ofoma, Okechukwu Gabriel Charles, and others, along with several unnamed individuals, transported prohibited weapons with intent to commit acts of terrorism.
This was allegedly done aboard the Maersk Vigo ship with a bill of lading number 238921355.
This alleged act poses a threat to national security and breaches the ECOWAS Convention on small arms and lightweight weapons.
Firearms Importation Without Proper Licensing
Furthermore, both Ofoma and Charles are accused of importing firearms and ammunition aboard the Maersk Vigo without the necessary licenses or authorization.
This act contravenes the Firearms Act, further complicating the legal situation for the accused individuals.
Court Drama and the Need for Legal Representation
As the court prepared to read the charges to the defendants, it was discovered that two of them, Augustine John Elechi and Osumini Kennedy, did not have legal representation.
In response, two legal practitioners, Deji Adeyanju and George Ogara, volunteered to offer free legal services to these defendants.
However, both Elechi and Kennedy rejected these offers.
Postponed Arraignment and Next Steps
In compliance with legal procedure, Justice Nwite ruled that it would be improper to proceed with the arraignment in the absence of proper legal representation for the accused.
As a result, the arraignment was postponed until September 12 to give the two defendants time to secure lawyers of their choice.
Until then, the judge ordered that all ten accused individuals remain in the custody of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Nigeria Police.
Federal Government's Legal Representation
During the proceedings, Chioma Onuegbu, a Deputy Director from the National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Lightweight Weapons under the Office of the National Security Adviser, represented the Federal Government, signaling the seriousness of the charges.
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