The trial of Eze Ndigbo of Ajao Estate, Lagos State, Frederick Nwajagu, for terrorism, was on Tuesday stalled due to the absence of his counsel.

Mr Nwajagu is standing trial before a Lagos High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square.

He was charged by the Lagos state government and was arraigned on May 9 on a nine-count charge.

The charges border on attempt to commit terrorism, participating in terrorism and meeting to support a proscribed entity.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Lagos State Government had, in the suit marked LD/21505C/2023, alleged that the defendant’s acts contravened the provisions of Section 403(2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Prosecution counsel, Jonathan Ogunsanya, said that other sections of the law which the alleged offences contravened included 12(a) (c), 18, 21 and 29 of the Terrorism (Prevention & Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Mr Nwajagu was arrested by operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) over an alleged threat to invite members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to Lagos to secure property of Igbo people in the state.

On Tuesday, the prosecution counsel announced his presence but there was no legal representation for the defendant.

When asked by the court about his counsel, the defendant said that he promised that a junior counsel would be in court to represent him.

Justice Yetunde Adesanya adjourned the case until Wednesday (July 5) for trial.

(NAN)