Five suspected members of the Boko Haram sect was yesterday arraigned for allegedly masterminding the Nyanyan and Kuje bombings early this month, resulting in the death of scores and injuring several others.
The accused persons – Abdulazeez Muhazab, Ishaka Salihu, Mohammed Jimoh, Abdulwaheed Nasiru and Abdullahi Nasiru – are being tried on five-count terrorism-related charges before the presiding judge, Justice Abdulkadiri Kafarati.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Mohammed Saidu Diri, at the trial on Thursday slammed the accused persons with conspiracy, contrary to Section 17 of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, for acts of terrorism contrary to Section 2(a) of the same Act, for acting preparatory to an act of terrorism contrary to Section 2(b) of the same Act, and accessories to an act of terrorism contrary to Section 2(g) of the same Act.
The prosecution also alleged that 12 ready made bombs and bomb making devices comprising 27 detonators, aluminium powder, hexomine, hydrogene peroxide, sulfur powder, sodium oxide plus nitrate, soldering wire, sodium carbonate, thermometers, PH litmus paper and a bag of fertiliser were found in their possession on October 6.
The accused persons however pleaded not guilty to the charges except Mohammed Jimoh who pleaded guilty to count five only.
Diri, who is the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, told the court that the investigation into the alleged crime had been completed and that his team was ready for prosecution.
He asked Justice Kafarati for an adjournment to enable him assemble his witnesses and exhibits to be tendered during the trial.
An attempt by the defence lawyer, Nureni Suleiman, to apply for bail of the accused person orally was unsuccessful.
Suleiman also clarified that one of the accused who pleaded guilty “was not properly informed; the way the charges were read to him seemed not to be clear to him”.
According to him, “Pleading guilty is not a big deal, because this is a capital offence and he can still withdraw it.
“I am just getting involved in the matter and have not been properly briefed and that is why I requested that they be transferred to Kuje Prisons where I can have access to them.
“Also, one of the guys said he is an armed robber, saying he was actually locked up before the explosion.”
Justice Kafarati adjourned the trial to November 17 and 24 this year.
He also ordered that the accused persons be moved from police custody to Kuje prison.
