20th March, 2013
The alleged mastermind of 2011 Christmas Day bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic church in Madala, Niger state, Mr. Kabiru Umar, also known as Kabiru Sokoto, was Wednesday brought before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja for his arraignment on terrorism charges.
The arraignment however failed to hold as the suspected terrorist had no legal representation.
Mr. Sokoto who claims not to understand English Language spoke through the court’s interpreter and said he was not aware that he was being brought to court and that he had not been served with charges brought against him by the State Security Service, SSS. He requested for a period of two weeks to enable him secure the services of a lawyer to represent him at the trial.
The court presided over by Justice Adeniyi Ademola noted that the nature of the case being a terrorism related one is such that ought to be fast tracked and expressed displeasure over the security agency’s failure to have served the suspect the charges alongside the proof of evidence to enable him prepare for his defence.
Justice Ademola also declined an application made by the SSS lawyer, Ms. Chioma Onuegwu where she pleaded with the court to allow Kabiru enter his plea today to signify the commencement of his trial.
The court thereafter adjourned proceedings to 19th April and ordered that the suspected terrorist be remanded in the custody of the SSS. The court also ordered the security agency to allow the suspect access to his lawyers to enable him prepare for his defence and to serve him every material documents relating to the trial.
Mr. Sokoto was slammed with a Three counts charge by the SSS wherein he was alleged to have facilitated the commission of a terrorist act by planting and encouraging his boys who are said to be at large, at Mabira Sokoto in Sokoto state, with the intention to bomb the Police Headquarters in the state between 2007 and 2012. The offence is said to be contrary to section 15(2) of the Economic anf Financial Crimes Commission Act, 2004.
He was also alleged to have been in possession of information about the bombing of 4t. Theresa’s Catholic Church on the 25th of December, 2011, but failed to disclose it to law enforcement officers within a reasonable time to forestall the incident and there by committed an offence contrary to section 7 (1) of the Terrorism Prevention Act 2013 and punishable under section 33 (1) of the same Act.
Lastly, Kabiru was alleged to have committed an act of terrorism ay Abaji, a suburb in the federal capital city, where he was said to have trained 500 men and inciting them to commit terrorist acts.
—Nnamdi Felix/Abuja