The lawmaker representing Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Ephraim Nwuzi, has been remanded at a correctional centre in Rivers state, by a Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Port Harcourt.
This development followed a remand proceeding preferred against the politician by the Rivers State Police Command.
The police accused the lawmaker of treasonable felony, conspiracy, and inciting violence.
When the matter was mentioned in court on Wednesday, Nwuzi’s counsel, Emenike Ebete, made an oral application for bail following the nature of the case.
The bail application was however opposed by the prosecution and the Investigation Police Officers in charge of the matter who requested that the Nwuzi be remanded to pave the way for proper investigation and arraignment.
Chief Magistrate O Amadi-Nna, after listening to the arguments, remanded Nwuzi based on the allegations.
Addressing newsmen outside the court session, Ebete said the offences preferred against his client were insufficient to warrant a remand.
Ebete said, “We have also submitted to the court that the offences disclosed in the particulars and affidavit attached to the alleged allegations were not sufficient enough for him to be remanded.
“The court in its wisdom held that the offences are gracious and that he should be remanded in prison custody until March 3, 2023, pending when a charge will be preferred against him by the state.”
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) gathered that Nwuzi was arrested on Wednesday morning at his residence in Chokocho, Etche LGA, by policemen in the state.
Recall that the state Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, had in a statement, said the Supervising Assistant Inspector General of Police for the elections in the state, Abutu Yaro, invited Nwuzi over an inciting video where he allegedly directed his supporters to attack some persons, including officials of INEC during the elections.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Nwuzi is a Rivers State politician who once served as the Commissioner of Employment Generation and Empowerment.
During the 2019 general election, he contested under the platform of The Peoples’ Democratic Party and won a seat at The Federal House of Representatives.
He is a member of the Rivers State People’s Democratic Party. He is a former chairman of Etche Local Government Council.
In 2011, he was conferred the title of Ekwueme 1 of Etche by the Etche Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers.