A Lagos State High Court located at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos Island, has cleared Frederick Nwajagu, known as the “Eze Ndigbo of Ajao Estate,” of terrorism charges.
Justice Yetunde Adesanya ruled that the Lagos State Government, which acted as the prosecutor, failed to prove the terrorism allegations against him beyond a reasonable doubt.
However, the court found Nwajagu guilty of presenting himself as a traditional chief in Lagos without proper authority. This act violated the Oba and Chiefs Law of Lagos State. For this offence, he was sentenced to one year in prison, with no option to pay a fine.
Despite the sentence, Justice Adesanya acknowledged that Nwajagu had already spent over two years in custody while awaiting trial. Since this period exceeded the one-year jail term for his offence, the court ordered his immediate release.
Frederick Nwajagu, 67, was arrested on April 1, 2023, after a video surfaced online where he allegedly threatened to invite members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to Lagos. His intention, as claimed, was to protect the properties of Igbo residents in the state.
In the viral clip, Nwajagu reportedly stated, “We will invite IPOB. They are unemployed. All IPOB members will protect our shops. We must mobilize and pay them. This is necessary to stop the attacks on us at any time—midnight, morning, or afternoon.”
