The Department of State Services (DSS) has blamed the delay in the trial of terrorism suspects accused of masterminding the August 26, 2011, bombing of the United Nations (UN) building in Abuja on legal and procedural issues.
Favour Dozie, Deputy Director, Public Relations and Strategic Communications of the DSS, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
Dozie said that the five suspects arrested in 2016 over the attack that led to the death of 20 people and left more than 70 others injured were currently being prosecuted.
According to the DSS deputy director, the trial had been delayed for an extended period due to legal and procedural issues, including instances where the suspects were brought to court without their counsel appearing for them.
The DSS recently requested the court to grant an accelerated hearing in the case, a request Justice Emeka Nwite granted.
“On Oct. 23 and 24, a trial-within-trial was conducted, during which videos of the defendants’ confessional statements were played in the courtroom,” Dozie said.
Dozie added that Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja would, on Nov. 19, continue the trial of two terrorism suspects who were wanted internationally.
The DSS deputy director, public relations and strategic communication, explained that the suspects were arrested in a high-risk, intelligence-led, counter-terrorism operation in July by operatives of the DSS after several months of pursuit.
Dozie said that the two suspects were believed to be leaders of the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, commonly known as ANSARU, Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate.
“One of the suspects, a self-styled Emir of ANSARU, allegedly coordinated various terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria.
“He is also believed to have masterminded several high-profile kidnappings and robberies, the proceeds of which were used to finance terrorism over the years.
“The second suspect, chief of staff and deputy to the first suspect, is alleged to have led the so-called ‘Mahmudawa’ cell, which operated around the Kainji National Park.
“The cell is located on the border between the states of Niger and Kwara, as well as the Republic of Benin,” Dozie said.
The DSS deputy director, public relations and strategic communication, further said that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), in a statement on Aug. 16, claimed that one of the suspects received training in Libya between 2013 and 2015.
According to Dozie, the training was conducted under foreign jihadist instructors from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria.
The DSS deputy director, public relations and strategic communication, also said that the two suspects were being tried on a 32-count terrorism charge, with one of the counts related to illegal mining.
Dozie also revealed that the DSS, on Aug. 11, arraigned five suspects before a Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged involvement in the June 5, 2022, attack at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State.
“The suspects were arrested over the attack that led to the death of over 40 people and more than 100 others injured and were arraigned on a nine-count terrorism charge.
“Their charges include being members of the Al Shabab terrorist group, with a cell in Kogi, and carrying out the attack in furtherance of their religious ideology, among others,” Dozie added.