The Federal Government on Thursday arraigned five persons suspected to involved in the October 2 bombings in Nyanya, suburb of Abuja and Kuje Area Council of the FCT that killed dozens of people
The charge sheet listed the accused persons as Abdulazeez Muhazab, Ishaka Salihu, Mohammed Jimoh, Abdulwaheed Nasiru and Abdullahi Nasiru. At the resumed hearing of the case at the Federal High Court, Abuja, Mr Mohammed Diri, the prosecution counsel, filed oral application to replace the charges he filed on October 12 with new charges filed on October 21.
He said that the new charge sheet contained five-count charge against the five accused persons. Diri said the charge sheet was accompanied by copies of the proof of evidence of witnesses, brief summary of the case and list of exhibitions. The counsel said the new charge sheet also bore affidavit of completion of investigation by the police.
Justice Abdul Kafarati granted the application as it was not opposed by Mr Nureni Sulyman, counsel to the defendants. With the admission of the new charge sheet, the new charges were read to the five accused persons.
Count one of the charge held that Muhazab, Salihu, Jimoh, Nasiru, Abdullahi Nasiru and others at large at Kuje and Jikoyi Park, Nyanya within the jurisdiction of the court conspired to carry out bomb attacks. It further held that the accused persons allegedly carried out the bomb attacks with the use of Improvised Explosives Devices (IED). The charge stated that the act was an offence punishable under Section 17 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act 2013.
Count two of the charge sheet alleged that the five accused and others at large on October 2 conspired to bomb Jikoyi Park in Nyanya which resulted in the death of scores of people. According to count two, the bomb left several other people with various degrees of injuries and destroyed properties. It said that act was an offence punishable under Section 2 (a) of Terrorism Prevention Act.
Count three of the charge had similar elements of allegations against the accused persons as contained in count-two.
Count four of the charge alleged that the first to the fifth defendants and others now at large on October 6 at Ungwar Ebira, Karamajiji area in FCT were found with bomb making materials. It listed the materials to include 27 pieces of detonators, aluminum powder, Hexomine, Hydrogene Peroxide, Surlphur Powder, Sodium Azide plus nitrate. Others are: Iron 11 Oxide, Soldering wire, Sugar, PH litmus paper, Sodium Carbonate, 12 ready-made Improvised Explosives Devices (IED) and a bag of fertilizer among others.
Abdulwaheed Nasiru, pleaded guilty to count four but joined the others to plead not guilty to the remaining charges.
The fifth charge alleged that Jimoh and Salihu between the month of August and October at Ungwar Ebira, Karmajiji off-airport road in Abuja, aided Muhazab to store and conceal suspected IED making items. The accused pleaded not guilty to the offence.
The judge adjourned the case till November 17 and 24.
