Four men previously acquitted in the Rivers State House of Assembly fire case have come forward with serious allegations
The men have claimed that they are under pressure to change their original testimonies and falsely implicate Edison Ehie, Chief of Staff to the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara.
The individuals—Chime Ezebalike, Kenneth Kpasa, Oladele Lukman, and MacPherson Olumini—were discharged in November 2024 after spending roughly six months in detention at the Kuje Correctional Facility.
During a press conference held in Port Harcourt on Monday, Ezebalike revealed that a top Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) figure in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area had recently approached them, urging them to revise their statements.
Three of the four men appeared before the press to make their claims public.
According to them, the alleged pressure campaign is linked to a broader political effort to back the narrative presented by former Rivers Head of Service, George Nwaeke, at a press briefing in Abuja.
“We were told to fabricate a story and accuse Edison Ehie of orchestrating the Assembly fire,” Ezebalike stated. “After all we’ve endured, we refuse to be complicit in any political witch-hunt.”
The group alleged that they were being asked to falsely connect Ehie to not just the Assembly fire but also the murder of police officer Bako Angbashim in the Ahoada area and an alleged assassination attempt on the Speaker of the State Assembly, Martins Amaewhule.
They described their arrests as suspicious and politically motivated, beginning with Oladele’s apprehension on December 5, 2023, followed by Chime and MacPherson on December 16, and Kenneth on January 5, 2024.
They claimed they were blindfolded and taken to the Federal Intelligence Response Team (F-IRT) facility in Port Harcourt, where they were allegedly tortured and denied access to legal representation.
One shocking account detailed how a sitting lawmaker allegedly visited them in custody alongside a uniformed officer and pressured them to name Ehie as the mastermind.
When they refused, they said they were subjected to physical assault and starvation.
The men further accused a former local government chairman of offering them bribes, reportedly ₦200 million, and promises of relocation abroad in exchange for their cooperation.
Some of these offers, they said, were repeated during their detention in Abuja, where some had been moved without explanation.
In one instance, they alleged another detainee was offered release if he falsely identified Kenneth Kpasa as one of the arsonists.
The charges against them were eventually dismissed by the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt in November 2024.
Having regained their freedom, the men said they are speaking out not just for themselves, but for others who may be enduring similar ordeals.
“This country belongs to all of us. No citizen should be tortured or coerced into lies for political ends.
“We urge civil society, the media, and every Nigerian who values justice to resist the misuse of state power against the innocent,” they declared.
