The Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Enugu State, Barrister Osinachi Nnajieze, has formally discontinued the murder charge filed against Godwin Odey by the Enugu State Police Command, marking what civil society organisations have described as a significant step toward justice.
Despite the development, Mr Odey remains in custody at the Enugu Correctional Centre over a separate charge of alleged unlawful possession of Indian hemp said to have been discovered in the commercial vehicle in which he was travelling at the time of his arrest.
Mr Odey, an OND graduate of Banking and Finance from Benue Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, was arrested on 20 September 2025 while attempting to board a vehicle back to Abuja.
He had travelled from Abuja on 19 September 2025 with friends to attend the traditional marriage ceremony of Mr Morgan Paul Odeh to Miss Loveth Chisom Ikechukwu at Ikechukwu Compound, Obollo-Afor, in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State. Eyewitness accounts indicate that the group arrived around 5:00 p.m. on 19 September and attended the ceremony the following day.
Later that evening, while heading to the motor park to catch a night bus back to Abuja due to work commitments, they were reportedly arrested during a police stop-and-search operation linked to investigations into the killing of Rev. Father Mathew Eya in the area.
Following a search of the vehicle, marijuana was allegedly found. Mr Odey was subsequently charged alongside individuals he reportedly had never met before with the murder of Rev. Father Mathew Eya.
He was arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Enugu on 24 September 2025 and remanded in custody under the charge sheets:
- Commissioner of Police v. Eze Obiora – Charge No. MEN/566C/2025
- Commissioner of Police v. Eze Obiora – Charge No. MEN/565C/2025
The case drew the attention of rights groups, including the Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN) and the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), which petitioned the Office of the Attorney General of Enugu State, urging a review to prevent what they described as a potential miscarriage of justice.
Following a review of the case file, the Attorney General exercised his constitutional powers to discontinue the murder charge against Mr Odey.
In a joint statement signed by Olu Omotayo, Esq., President of CRRAN, and Okechukwu Nwanguma, Executive Director of RULAAC, the organisations commended the Attorney General’s intervention.
“We commend the courage and commitment demonstrated by the Honourable Attorney General of Enugu State in ensuring justice prevails in this matter,” the statement read. “Without this timely intervention, Mr. Odey could have faced prolonged and unlawful detention based on an unfounded murder allegation.”
While welcoming the withdrawal of the murder charge, the groups expressed concern over Mr Odey’s continued detention on the alleged unlawful possession charge, which is pending before a Magistrate Court in Enugu and reportedly adjourned to November 2026.
“The length of this adjournment raises serious fair trial and due process concerns,” the statement added.
The organisations pledged to continue monitoring the proceedings closely and to take appropriate steps to ensure that “justice is not delayed or denied.”
The development underscores ongoing debates around due process, prosecutorial discretion and the protection of fundamental rights within Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
