A civil society organisation, Citizens for Justice and Accountability in Governance (CJAG), has called for a full-scale investigation into claims by four suspects that they are being pressured to falsely implicate Edison Ehie, chief of staff to suspended Rivers governor, Siminalayi Fubara, in the fire that gutted the state assembly complex in 2023.
The group, led by its president, Stephen Emmanuel, said the recent revelation by the suspects — Chime Ezebalike, Kenneth Kpasa, MacPherson Olumini, and Oladele Lukman — points to a deeply troubling attempt to manipulate justice and escalate the political crisis in Rivers state.
In a statement on Friday, the group said the details shared by the suspects must not be swept under the rug.
“This is no longer just about arson. It is now about a deliberate attempt to destroy reputations, manipulate public perception, and mislead security agencies for political gain,” the statement reads.
“How can anyone in good conscience seek to fabricate allegations so grave, involving murder, attempted assassination, and arson — just to settle political scores? This is criminal, and we demand prosecution of the masterminds.
“What these young men have described — blindfolds, illegal detention, bribe offers, and threats — is a direct assault on human dignity and a violation of every known legal standard. This is a democracy, not a jungle.”
Emmanuel said CJAG is petitioning the Attorney-General of the Federation and the National Human Rights Commission to immediately launch a probe into the circumstances surrounding the arrests and alleged coercion of the suspects.
“We are calling on President Tinubu, as the leader of this nation, to ensure that justice is not perverted. The state cannot allow anyone, no matter how powerful, to weaponise the law for vendettas. It will set a dangerous precedent,” he added.
“If this is part of a conspiracy to silence Ehie or sabotage Governor Fubara, then those responsible must be named and shamed,” Emmanuel said.
“We urge the Inspector-General of Police to order an internal investigation into the role of the Federal Intelligence Response Team (F-IRT) in this matter. Nigerians need to know whether our security operatives are serving the people or acting as pawns in political chess games.”
The group also condemned the continued politicisation of the Rivers crisis, warning that unresolved tensions may threaten national stability if allowed to fester unchecked.
“This is bigger than Rivers state. This is about justice. This is about the soul of our democracy. We cannot claim to uphold the rule of law while innocent people are being used as scapegoats in battles they know nothing about,” Emmanuel added.
CJAG concluded by urging civil society, religious institutions, and the international community to pay closer attention to developments in Rivers, warning that impunity thrives in silence.
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