Nigerian govt reopens trial of alleged Nyanya bombing masterminds

For the second time, the Federal Government has opened its case against Aminu Ogwuche and five others accused of orchestrating the April 14, 2014 twin bombings at Nyanya Motor Park in Abuja, which claimed over 70 lives and injured dozens more.

During the resumed trial on Monday before Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, prosecuting counsel Mr. David Kasue informed the court that a previous order granted protection for witnesses in the case. He requested that only the legal teams and accredited members of the media be allowed in the courtroom.

Justice Lifu, however, refused to exclude a group of law students present in the gallery, stating they were in court for educational purposes and should be permitted to observe proceedings.

Following this, the first prosecution witness (PW1) was brought into court with his identity concealed by a mask and hood. Defence counsel, Mr. Nureni Jimoh, SAN, initially opposed the concealment, but allowed the testimony to proceed after the witness insisted he could not testify without the protection.

Led in evidence by Kasue, the witness, who disclosed that he had served in the Department of State Services (DSS) for 23 years, recounted how the accused were apprehended, including the arrest and extradition of Ogwuche, the first defendant, from Sudan.

He stated: “What led to his arrest was that in the course of the interview of the 3rd defendant, Mohammed Ishaq, he described an individual who supported them financially — that person was identified as a supporter of Boko Haram. The 1st defendant had been known to the DSS as a person of interest, previously deported from the United Kingdom.”

Jimoh objected to the witness’s reference to Ogwuche’s deportation, arguing that such a claim required supporting documentation. The prosecution responded by citing Section 7 of the Evidence Act, maintaining that the oral testimony about the deportation was both necessary and relevant.

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Justice Lifu reserved ruling on the admissibility of the deportation testimony until final judgment.

The DSS officer continued his testimony, stating that Ogwuche’s identification was confirmed by the 3rd defendant, who described him as “Aminu,” a Middle Belt native who frequented a mosque in Utako and became close to a known Boko Haram leader, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, also known as Dr. Tsiga.

He added, “The 3rd defendant revealed that he and Dr. Tsiga, who remains at large, drove a car rigged with explosives to El Rufai Park and abandoned it there overnight.”

The witness further testified that Ogwuche later made statements describing how he became involved with the terrorist group: “He made enquiries about meeting the sect in Utako and believed they were fighting a just cause for God.”

However, when the prosecution requested the defendants’ written statements already before the court, they could not be retrieved immediately. Justice Lifu blamed the prosecution’s failure to give prior notice to the registrar and adjourned the case to July 24 for continuation of trial.

The defendants — Aminu Ogwuche (aka Abu Ibrahim/Maiturare), Mohammed Ishaq, Ya’u Saidu (aka Kofar Rama), Anas Isah, and Adamu Yusuf — are facing terrorism charges related to the deadly 2014 blasts.

Originally handled by Justice Ahmed Mohammed, the case was reassigned to Justice Lifu after Mohammed’s elevation to the Court of Appeal. The trial had experienced several setbacks due to the prosecution’s repeated absences, prompting stern warnings and an ultimatum from the court that the case risked dismissal if the pattern continued.

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