The arraignment of Mr. Mike Nwaukoni and four other suspects facing criminal charges has been rescheduled to June 3, 2025, following a request for adjournment by the prosecuting counsel, Barrister Orji Kalu Ndukwe.
Mr. Nwaukoni is one of the defendants in Charge No. FHC/ASB/18C/2024 (Inspector General of Police v. Francis Okolie & 5 Ors), wherein he stands accused of orchestrating a violent terrorist attack on the Palace of the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku.
In addition to the terrorism charge, he also faces charges of attempted murder, inciting a native war, and the destruction of police and vigilante vehicles.
Originally, the case was set for April 3, 2025. However, according to court staff at the Federal High Court, Asaba (Court 2), the presiding judge had sought to bring the hearing forward to March 26, 2025, likely to accelerate proceedings.
The prosecution, in a written communication to the court, objected to the proposed new date, citing prior engagements and requesting that the April 3rd date—previously agreed to—be maintained as sacrosanct.
In light of the prosecution’s written objection and their unavailability on March 26, the court subsequently informed all parties that the matter would be rescheduled to June 3, 2025, when Mr. Nwaukoni and his co-defendants are expected to be formally arraigned.
A copy of Mr. Nwaukoni’s bail application indicates that the 5th defendant/applicant is seeking relief on the grounds that he is presumed innocent until proven guilty and that the charges, though grave, are bailable under Nigerian law.
However, an affidavit filed in support of the bail application discloses that Mr. Nwaukoni admitted to leading a crowd to the Ogwashi-Uku Palace.
He claimed tensions escalated at the palace gate after the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) allegedly barred his entry, further alleging that police provoked unrest by deploying tear gas on the agitated crowd that had accompanied him to perform a purported ritual.
The DPO and another senior Deputy Superintendent of police in their statements confirmed that Mike Nwaukoni led the thugs and crowd who attacked the police and other people at the Obi’s Palace.
Law enforcement sources confirm that Mr. Nwaukoni was declared wanted by the police in 2024 and that a warrant for his arrest had been issued long before his eventual apprehension.
After evading arrest for months, citing health issues, he was arrested in November 2024, interrogated, and later granted administrative bail.
A senior police official emphasized the serious nature of the charges, stressing that the actions of Mr. Nwaukoni and his accomplices allegedly contributed to significant instability and security threats within the Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom.
If convicted, Mr. Nwaukoni faces life imprisonment or other long-term custodial sentences as stipulated under Nigerian law.
