Lagos Charges 17 Boko Haram Suspects With Terrorism

Seventeen suspected members of the proscribed Islamic fundamentalist group, Boko Haram, were yesterday arraigned at the Federal High Court in Lagos.

They were charged before Justice Ibrahim Buba following the withdrawal of Justice Musa Kurya, before whom the suspects were first brought.

The Lagos State government, represented by its Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mrs Olabisi Odugbesan, charged the suspects with seven counts of alleged terrorist acts and possession of prohibited firearms and ammunition.

The accused, are Ali Modu, Adamu Karumi, Ibrahim Ali, Ibrahim Bukar, Mohammed A. Mohammed, Bala Haruna, Idris Ali, Mohammed Murtala, Kadri Mohammed, Mustapha Hassan, Abba Duguni, Sanni Adamu, Danjuma Yahaya, Musa Bala, Bala Daura, Farouk Haruna and Abdula Zuladaini.

Journalists were barred from the courtroom by officers of the State Security Service (SSS), but it was learnt that the charge was read out in English and interpreted in Hausa.

The accused pleaded not guilty.

An attempt to arraign the accused on October 25 was stalled because five of them had no lawyers.

Yesterday, Mr. O.E Nwagbara represented the seventh accused; Mr. D. Dada represented the sixth and eight to 17th accused. The first to fifth accused were not represented by any lawyer.

Justice Buba ordered that the accused, be remanded in prison.

The charge said the accused were arrested at Plot 5, Road 69, Lekki Phase 1 Housing Estate; 24 Oyegbemi Street, Ijora Oloye, Apapa and an unnumbered bungalow on Oyegbemi Street, behind Celestial Church, Ijora Oloye on March 21.

The government said they conspired among themselves “to commit felony, to with: acts of terrorism” by having in their possession explosive substances, including three packets of explosive construction pipes and 15 detonators.

They were also allegedly in possession of 11 AK-47 rifle magazines loaded with 30 rounds of live ammunition each; 200 rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition, one AK-47 rifle, two AK-47 rifle magazines with three rounds of live ammunition each, two suitcases containing explosives and one water container of explosives.

Also recovered from the suspects, the charge said, were one bag containing canisters, one HP laptop, five Nokia handsets and one red Volkswagen Golf car with registration number Lagos: SMK 427 AZ, allegedly...