Justice Saliu Saidu of the Federal High Court in Lagos on
Wednesday sentenced a financier of the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram, to 10
years’ imprisonment with hard labour.
The Boko Haram financier was among four suspects tried in
camera by the Department of State Security (DSS), before Justice Saliu Saidu.
The suspects were named as Adamu Mohammed, Mohammed
Mustapha, Bura Husseni and Mohammed Ibrahim.
Efforts by journalists to however get specific details of
the allegations against them and other details about the conviction proved
unsuccessful, as no one was willing to divulge the information.
It was however gathered that one of the suspects was
convicted and sentenced to ten years jail term for sponsoring the Boko Haram
sect, while the other three were released by Justice Saidu.
The suspects were said to have been prosecuted by one Mr P
Okerinmodu on behalf of the federal government.
When the suspects were brought in to the courtroom under
heavy security, everyone in court was ordered out except the lawyers and court
registrars.
Earlier this year another judge of the Federal High Court in
Lagos, Justice Ibrahim Buba, had sentenced three men to 25 years jail term
each, after finding them guilty of belonging to the dreaded sect, Boko Haram
and for participating in acts of terrorism.
The suspects were arrested in Lagos with explosives and
other dangerous items.
They were said to have been arrested while planning to
attack Lagos, the economic capital of Nigeria.
The sect members, the first set to be arrested and convicted
in Lagos, were rounded up on March 21 while planning to launch an attack.
In the charge against them, the prosecution alleged that the
accused persons committed the offences at Plot 5, Road 69, Lekki Phase I
Housing Estate, and No. 24, Oyegbeni St., Ijora-Oloye, Apapa-Iganmu, Lagos.
Their trial was conducted in camera pursuant to application
by the prosecuting authority, the Lagos State Government, that there was need
to protect the witnesses in the case.
Justice Ibrahim Buba gave his judgment in secret and
pronounced the three convicts guilty of the terrorism charges.
The 17 suspects initially charged were arraigned before
Justice Buba on 18 counts of conspiracy to commit terrorism, illegal possession
of firearms, and being members of a proscribed organisation.
They included Ali Mohammed, Adamu Karumi, Ibrahim Usman,
Bala Haruna, Idris Ali, Mohammed Murtala and Kadiri Mohammed.
Others were Mustapha Daura, Abba Duguri, Sanni Adamu,
Danjuma Yahaya and Musa Audu and Mati Daura, Farouk Haruna, Abdullahi Azeez,
Ibrahim Bukar and Zula Diani.
But the case was discontinued against all the accused except
the first four.
Out of the four, Haruna was discharged also by Justice Buba
on the ground that the government failed to prove the allegation of terrorism
funding against him.
Haruna was alleged to have agreed to provide funds to
facilitate the escape of the first convict, Ali Mohammed, from detention.
However, Justice Buba sentenced the first three accused
persons – Ali Mohammed, Adamu Karumi and Ibrahim Usman – to 25 years
imprisonment each for participating in acts of terrorism.
They were alleged to have been caught in possession of three
packets of explosive construction pipes, 15 detonators, and 11 AK47 rifles with
30 rounds of live ammunition.
The other items allegedly found in their possession included
200 rounds of 7.6 millimetres live ammunition, two suitcases containing
explosives, and a water container filled with explosives.
According to the prosecution, the offences contravened
provisions of Sections 13(2) and 17(b) of the Terrorism Act 2013.
It also contravenes Sections 1, 8, 27 (1) (a) and (b) of the
Firearms (special provisions) Act, Cap F28, Laws of the Federation, 2004, and
punishable under Section 8 of the same act.
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