Ogwashi-Uku: AGF urged to take over prosecution of suspects over alleged corruption

  The Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, has been urged to take over the prosecution of suspects indicted in a recent crisis in the Ogwashi-Uku community.   In a petition to the AGF, dated 24th June 2025, Barrister Charles Odiba, on behalf of Christopher Ogoda and Bright Okorie, who are the nominal complainants […]

 

The Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, has been urged to take over the prosecution of suspects indicted in a recent crisis in the Ogwashi-Uku community.

 

In a petition to the AGF, dated 24th June 2025, Barrister Charles Odiba, on behalf of Christopher Ogoda and Bright Okorie, who are the nominal complainants and victims, wants Fagbemi to take over the prosecution of suspects who obstructed the enforcement of a court order in the community.

 

Odiba had accused the Inspector General (IG) Monitoring unit of working to sabotage the criminal trial currently before the Federal High Court in Asaba.

 

He also wants President Bola Tinubu to ask the IGP and Police Service Commission to investigate the circumstances under which the IG Monitoring unit is attempting to tamper with a case already in court and to bring any erring officers to face disciplinary action.

 

The case stems from a court-ordered land judgment delivered by a Delta State High Court.

 

It was gathered that in compliance with that judgment, court officials, accompanied by officers from Zone 5 Police Headquarters in Benin began executing the ruling.

 

The operation, however, turned violent when a group of armed men allegedly attacked the police and court officers with firearms and other dangerous weapons.

 

“Following the assault, a petition was filed to the IGP, who then authorised the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) in Zone 5 to investigate.

 

“The Zone 5 team responded swiftly, recovering multiple firearms and other weapons believed to have been used in the attack.

 

“Victims, including injured police officers and court officials, gave statements, and the suspects were charged in Charge No. FHC/ASB/1C/2025 on a 10-count charge.

 

“The charges include illegal possession of firearms, public display and use of weapons to cause chaos and injury, assault, armed robbery, theft, and other related offences,” a source in the community told journalists.

 

But just as the case began to move through the courts, the suspects attempted to derail the process by filing a petition to the IGP Monitoring Unit, the source added.

 

“In their petition, they failed to disclose that they were already under trial and that a full investigation had already been conducted and sanctioned by the IGP.

 

“Officers from the Monitoring Unit not only pressured Zone 5 to terminate the trial, but went ahead to take possession of the original case file, despite the matter being sub judice and in clear contravention of Force Signal No. CB:4001/IGP.SEC./ABJ/VOL.121/48 DTO:211340/11/2024,” he added.

 

Communities in Ogwashi-Uku and Ubulu Okiti are now demanding swift intervention.