The bombings in the land are meant to avenge the 2009 extra judicial killing of Boko Haram leader Mohammed Yusuf by state agents in Maiduguri, a suspect, Ahmed Hassan Ezimaku, said yesterday.
Ezimaku told a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Abuja that he was working at a mining site at Awe, Nasarawa State, when another suspect, Salisu Ahmed contacted him on May 25 to help procure cortex wire (explosive device material) for the sect.
Ezimaku, who claimed to have been with Boko Haram since 2008, said he declined the offer but Bashar Madala, another suspect, invited him to a meeting in Madala, Niger State where members were being trained to avenge Yusuf’s killing.
His words: “We were taught how to handle the AK-47 rifle and were given training under oath. After the preaching, I told Bashir that I was not satisfied with the message and that I was not interested in the Boko Haram movement”
“When I left the place, I changed my phone number and travelled to Nasarawa State, but I later received a call from Bashir, who said he knew where I was working and that I should supply cortex wire for use by Boko Haram, which I declined.
“But he insisted that I connect him with someone else who could supply it. So, I connected him with Mohammed Danlami, who was one of the labourers working at the mining site. Danlami agreed to supply the wire.
“Danlami came to Abuja around the end of June 2011. He called me and I linked him up with Bashir. He brought two rolls of the wire, which he delivered to Bashir in Abuja and he was paid for the supply.”
Ezimaku was arraigned alongside seven other suspects of the sect on a five-count criminal charge.
The other suspects are: Shuaibu Abubakar, Mohammed Danlami, Salisu Ahmed, Umar Babagana, Mohammed Ali, Musa Adam and Umar Ibrahim.
The suspects were brought to court under heavy security, in handcuffs and leg chains. The courtroom and the entire premises were heavily guarded while the hearing lasted.
They were charged with criminal conspiracy to commit felony, to wit-criminal intimidation and threat to life and voluntarily causing grevious hurt by dangerous means, contrary to Section 97 248(1) and Section 397 of the Penal Code, punishable under the same code.
According to the prosecution counsel, Mr. Cliff Osagie, the suspects are being charged with allegedly conspiring with Bashir Madala, who is at large, to prepare, plan and detonate Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) at various public places and, by force of arms, caused grevious bodily hurt to innocent persons and did execute the said conspiracy which led to the death of 16 persons at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Suleja, Niger State on April 8, 2011.
They are also being charged with causing the death of three persons at a political rally in Suleja on March 3, 2011.
The suspects are also being linked with the death of three Peace Officers at a check point at Dakwa-Deidei in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital on May 23, 2011.
They are also answering charges for their alleged involvement in the bombing of All Christians Fellowship Church, Suleja on July 10, 2011 in which three persons were killed.
All the suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Osagie told the court that investigation into the case had been concluded and that the prosecution was ready for the trial.
He urged the court to remand the accused persons in custody, pending the next adjournment of the case.
Chief Magistrate Mrs. Oyewumi Oyebola told the accused persons that they had the right to be represented by lawyers of their choice. They replied that they had no lawyers.
Except Ezimaku, the remaining suspects spoke in Hausa through an interpreter.
The case was adjourned till October 4. The court ordered that the accused persons be remanded in the SSS custody till the adjourned date.
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