Court annuls charges against Nyanya bomber

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has struck out the three-count terrorism charge preferred against Aminu Ogwuche, the alleged mastermind of the April 14, 2014 bomb blast that killed more than 75 persons and injured 120 others at a crowded motor park in Nyanya Abuja. The charges was entered against him by the Inspector-General of Police.

In his ruling yesterday, Justice Ademola Adeniyi struck out the matter for want of diligent prosecution by the police.

However, the court gave the Department of State Services, DSS, the nod to retain the accused person in its custody until December 5 when it will hear an application seeking his release on bail.

While adjourning the matter, Justice Adeniyi directed the DSS to allow a team of three lawyers representing the accused person; his wife and one of his family members to periodically visit him in the detention cell.

The court further ordered that the accused be given medical attention and treatment in custody, adding that the DSS should not hesitate to transfer him to the National Hospital should the need arise.

Plans to arraign Ogwuche on September 26 failed because of bickering between the DSS and Police over which of them should be allowed to conduct the trial.

Following a heated argument that ensued between lawyers from the two security agencies, Justice Adeniyi adjourned to enable the Federal Government put its house in order.

The government had in its bid to expedite the process of extraditing the accused person from Sudan where he fled to shortly after the terrorist attack, entered the three-count charge that was struck out yesterday.

Ogwuche had in an ex-parte application he filed through Mr. Ahmed Raji (SAN), told the court that since July 15, 2014, when he was arrested in Khartoum, Sudan and extradited to Nigeria, the Federal Government has neither arraigned, tried nor granted him administrative bail despite several demands.

Premising his application on Sections 34, 35, 36, 41 and 43 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, Articles 2, 6, 7(1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Right (Ratification & Enforcement Act), Ogwuche told the court that he has been denied access to his family members, medical personnel and counsel.

Count charges

Ogwuche was, in the charge that was struck out, alleged to have conspired with others (at large), to commit an act of terrorism by detonating improvised explosive devices at Nyanya Motor Park, which resulted in the death of 75 persons and injuring more than 100 other persons.

Count two of the charge read: “That you, Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche, Male, and others now at large, on the 14th of April, 2014 at Nyanya, FCT, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did facilitate the activities of persons engaged in an act of terrorism, by detonating improvised explosive devices at the Nyanya motor park which resulted in the death of 75 persons and injuring more than 100 other persons.”

The alleged offences were said to be punishable under Sections 1 (2) (d) and 17 of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act of 2013.

Recalling his utterances shortly after his extradition and arrival at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on July 15.

The alleged mastermind of the Nyanya bomb blast had boasted that he was still lusting to shed more blood of those he described as “infidels.”

“If I am left alone, I will still kill those infidels who have refused to repent of their sins against Allah. This is my mission on earth. My mission is to wipe out infidels from the face of the earth. You call me bomb detonator, and I love that. I am ready to kill again. In fact, I enjoy killing people who are unbelievers; those deceived by western education and disobedient to Allah and His Holy Koran. I don’t care what will happen to me now because if I die, I shall go to heaven for doing God’s work. I won’t beg anybody for forgiveness but I can assure you that my so-called trial will not be an easy exercise. If I like, I plead not guilty in court to make things difficult for the Federal Government but inside my mind, I know I did the damn thing. It is my word against Federal Government evidence. I know a little bit about the intricacies of the law through the study of several law books. Nobody can push me around because I am not a fool,” said Ogwuche who was born in the United Kingdom.

Regaling his interrogators with gory tales of his exploits in the world of violence, Ogwuche said he and hundreds of Boko Haram members were trained in Somalia and Pakistan in the science of terrorism.

“I don’t deny that we have links with foreign terrorist groups. We have many friends as well as many enemies. It doesn’t matter if I am killed; others will continue the struggle. There are millions of Boko Haram members in Nigeria and overseas. Was our great leader Mohammed Yusuf not killed; did his death lead to the end of the Boko Haram? We are determined to start a big jihad across the nation, first, wait and see. Ours is something like spiritual revolution. When they arrested Kabiru Sokoto, they celebrated as if Boko Haram is all about Kabiru Sokoto. That is how they celebrated the death of Yusuf Mohammed. They will keep celebrating individuals while million agents of Boko Haram operate,” he said.