UN Complex Bombing: Court Admits Video Evidence Against Al-Barnawi, Terror Suspects
A Federal High Court in Abuja has admitted three video clips supplied by the Department of State Services (DSS) into evidence to challenge claims of duress by five suspected masterminds of the 2011 bombing of the United Nations (UN) complex in Abuja.
The suspects, led by Khalid Al‑Barnawi, are accused by the DSS of masterminding the August 26, 2011, attack that killed at least 20 people and injured more than 70 others.
Presiding Justice Emeka Nwite fixed December 5 for the continuation of the trial-within-trial, which will involve playing the video clips in the courtroom to determine the veracity of the defendants’ claims that they made their extra-judicial statements to the DSS under duress.
Push for Accelerated Trial
Al-Barnawi, captured in 2016, is facing trial alongside four other suspects: Mohammed Bashir Saleh, Umar Mohammed Bello (aka Datti), Mohammed Salisu, and Yakubu Nuhu (aka Bello Maishayi).
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The trial had suffered several delays due to legal and procedural challenges thrown up by the defendants. However, the DSS recently requested the court to grant an accelerated hearing in the case, a request Justice Nwite granted. The judge’s decision to grant an accelerated trial aligns with the focus of the current DSS Director General, Oluwatosin Ajayi, on achieving speedy conclusion of terror trials.
Following the playback of the video clip of the first defendant, Justice Nwite adjourned the matter to December 5 for the commencement of playing back the video clips of the other defendants.
Separate Espionage Case Admitted
Earlier on Friday, Justice Nwite admitted the extra-judicial statements made by three other persons charged by the DSS for alleged espionage.
The defendants—Haruna Ali Abbas, Ibrahim Hussaini Musa, and Adam Sulaiman—had claimed they were coerced, harassed, and intimidated to make their statements during the trial-within-trial. However, the prosecution successfully proved that the statements were made voluntarily.
Justice Nwite adjourned the espionage matter to January 22, 2026, for substantive hearing.
By PRNigeria
