The
Federal Government on Tuesday arraigned before a Federal High Court in
Lagos four persons suspected to be members of the violent Islamic sect,
Boko Haram.
In the suit number FHC/L/3169/13, two of
the accused persons – Adamu Mohammed and Mohammed Mustapha – were
accused of having plotted to attack the Kirikiri Maximum Prisons in
Lagos to free their members held in custody.
The alleged offence was said to have been committed sometimes in June or July this year.
The two other accused persons are Bura Hassaini and Mohammed Ibrahim.
The government accused Hassaini of
allegedly facilitating the activities of Boko Haram in Borno State by
monitoring the activities of the security agents and reporting his
findings on phone to the leadership of the sect.
All the four accused persons, who were
arraigned before Justice Saliu Saidu on Tuesday, pleaded not guilty to
all the three counts preferred against them by the Federal Government.
No lawyer represented the accused
persons during the proceedings and the charges were read in English
language but interpreted to them in Hausa language.
According to the first count, the four
were arrested sometimes in June/July 2013 at Wasein, a hideout in the
Orile-Iganmu area, Apapa, Lagos, and at 3 Denton Street, Yaba, Lagos, by
a team of security agents “for belonging to a proscribed organisation
to wit: ‘Boko Haram’ sect”.
The government also alleged that
Mohammed and Mustapha, with others at large, on or about June 26 this
year at Wasein, conspired among themselves to commit an “act of
terrorism by organising a planned attack on the Kirikiri Prisons in
Lagos State to free your detained members on prison custody.”
The prosecuting counsel, Mr. E. K. Ugwu,
who signed the charges on behalf of the Attorney-General of the
Federation, told the court that “in view of the plea of the accused
persons, we pray for a date for trial, while the accused persons be
remanded in prison custody.”
Justice Saidu ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison and adjourned trial till December 12.
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