A bench warrant has been issued by the Federal High Court in Awka, Anambra State, for the arrest of Hon. Augustine Ike, a House of Assembly member-elect representing the Nnewi North Constituency.

Mr Ike has been required by the warrant to appear in court with Onyedika Chukwuma for arraignment.

The order was issued by Justice F.O Riman in response to their unwillingness to be served with the charge against them and was addressed to Usman Alkali Baba, the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

According to the court, Messers Ike and Chukwuma have been on the run and have failed to appear in court since they were indicted following the completion of an investigation into allegations of cyberstalking levelled against them.

Their failure to honour several invitations had made it difficult for the court to serve them with the charge.

The court further ruled that unless they are served, it will not assume jurisdiction to begin hearing the charge.

The arraignment of Messers Ike and Chukwuma followed a petition filed with the IGP by a billionaire businessman, Cletus Ibeto.

Anthony Egwu, the IGP’s prosecuting attorney, in the 11-count order filed against them at the Federal High Court in Awka, accused Messers Ike and  Onyedika of cyberstalking.

He alleged that the duo used a computer system to send messages on social media sites claiming that Mr Ibeto is a “land grabber who wants to defraud Nnewi Community of their land.”