suspected Boko Haram members arraigned in Lagos

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