Ohanaeze Ndigbo Calls for Release of Eze Ndigbo of Ajao Estate, Lagos, After Over a Year in Detention
The South-East political organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has demanded the release of Chief Frederick Nwajagu, the Eze Ndigbo of Ajao Estate, Lagos, who has been in detention for over a year following a Lagos court's remand order.
On April 5, 2023, a Lagos State Magistrates Court in Yaba ordered Nwajagu’s remand at the Ikoyi Custodial Centre. Efforts to secure his bail have since been denied by the Lagos State High Court, despite concerns about his health.
Dr. Alex Ogbonnia, the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, expressed the group's dissatisfaction with Nwajagu’s prolonged detention. “We are not happy about it. Ohanaeze, Lagos chapter, has also condemned it. The Lagos State government must intervene and ensure his release,” Ogbonnia said, while also calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene.
Chief Frederick Nwajagu has been held in custody since 2023 on charges related to alleged threats to invite members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to protect Igbo lives and property during the general elections if the Federal Government failed to safeguard them.
His bail application, citing poor health, was rejected on July 28, 2023, by Justice Yetunde Adesanya, who ruled that the gravity of the charges and their potential penalties necessitated the denial.
Chief Omenazu Jackson, Chairman of the Elders Council of Ohanaeze Ndigbo for Rivers and Bayelsa States, has also called for Nwajagu’s unconditional release. “The 2023 general elections are over, and while winners have emerged, we must learn from the experience. Unfortunately, Lagos witnessed an alarming rise in Igbo-phobia, with attacks on Igbo property and individuals. As a leader, Nwajagu had a responsibility to defend his people, and his actions were not out of malice,” Jackson stated.
The 2023 general elections in Lagos were marked by reports of intimidation, harassment, and discrimination against the Igbo community, prompting widespread condemnation and calls for justice.
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