Obiajulu Uja, from Oji-River Local Government Area in Enugu State, was allegedly mentally ill, according to the solicitor for the anti-Tinubu passenger on an Abuja-Lagos flight.
Once the police announced that the individual will be charged with inciting public unrest on Monday, this occurred.
In a conversation with journalists on Saturday, Uja’s solicitor, Ejike Ugwu, questioned the decision to prosecute Uja and emphasised that his client had mental disabilities.
Former banker, according to Ugwu, who added that the security authorities shouldn’t bring charges against him.
“The DPO said the man will be charged on Monday; this is a man that we said is mentally ill. Have you conducted any medical examination on him to know whether he is mentally fit to be charged to court? On what grounds are you charging?
“The man worked with Zenith Bank until he developed some health issues. Some days ago, Riz Continental Hotel, Abuja, chased him away from the hotel because of his mental instability.
“If you go through his social media, you will understand that he is not even a member of the Obedient movement. But the long and short of it is that the man is mentally unstable. After he was arrested and the DPO saw reports in the media, the DPO confided in me that the man is not a normal person”, he added.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Airport Command said the suspect would be charged on Monday with criminal intimidation and public disturbance.
The Investigating Police Officer, Benson Okoh, said, “He’s with us. I was trying to confirm to the PPRO. However, he’ll be charged to court on Monday for criminal intimidation and inciting public disturbance.”
Uja had caused a stir aboard the flight when he protested against the inauguration of president-elect, Bola Tinubu. His action delayed the flight from taking off, as he had to be forcefully removed from the plane.
