Court Shifts Trial Of Suspected INEC Office Bombers

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday fixed the trial of suspected bombers of Independent National Election Commission, INEC,  office in Suleja for Friday, 18 November.

The bombers are alleged to be members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect which had been causing mayhem in some Northern states of the federation.

The six persons were alleged to have executed the bombing of the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Suleja, Niger state with improvised explosive device on March 3, 2011.

The suspects, Shuaibu Abubakar, Salisu Ahmed, Umar Babagana, Mohammed Ali, Musa Adam and Umar Ibrahim had pleaded not guilty to the five-count charge preferred against them by the State Security Service, SSS.

At today’s proceedings, counsel representing the accused persons prayed the court for time to look into the proof of evidence served on them on Tuesday by the prosecution.

The trial judge, Justice Bilkisu Aliyu, after listening to the submissions of the counsel, adjourned the case till 18 November for trial and ordered that the accused persons be remanded in the custody of the State Security Service, SSS.

The suspects were arraigned by the SSS for allegedly committing acts of terrorism by causing the death of sixteen persons at the INEC office in Suleja, Niger state through an improvised explosive device on March 3, 2011.

They were also alleged to have on the same day committed acts of terrorism by causing the explosion of improvised explosive device at a political rally in Suleja, Niger state which resulted in the death of three persons.

One of the charges also alleged that they caused the explosion of improvised explosive device on 23 May, 2011 which resulted in the death of three police officers in Dakwa village in Bwari Area Council of Abuja.

That at various locations in Suleja, Niger state, Azare, Nasarawa state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), they engaged in acts of terrorism by training persons now at large in the use of arms and ammunition and the preparation, planting and detonation of improvised explosive devices for the purpose of terrorism contrary to section 15 (2) of the EFCC Establishment Act 2004 which stipulates a life sentence upon conviction.

By Nnamdi Felix/Abuja