Court Okays DSS Request to Accelerate Trial of Al-Barnawi, 4 Other Terrorists
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted the Department of State Services (DSS) permission to fast-track the trial of Khalid Al-Barnawi, a notorious terror suspect, alongside four alleged accomplices accused of masterminding the August 26, 2011 bombing of the United Nations building in Abuja.
Justice Emeka Nwite, who presided over the matter, delivered the ruling on Friday after considering an application filed by the DSS through its lead counsel, Alex Izinyon (SAN). The request, aimed at accelerating the long-standing trial, was not opposed by defence lawyers.
The 2011 suicide bombing was Nigeria’s first major terrorist attack on an international organisation’s facility. It claimed the lives of over 20 people, left more than 70 others injured, and drew global condemnation, particularly from the UN and foreign governments.
Al-Barnawi, also known by several aliases including Kafuri, Naziru, Alhaji Yahaya, Mallam Dauda, and Alhaji Tanimu, was arrested by DSS operatives in Lokoja, Kogi State, in April 2016 after a five-year manhunt. He is believed to have been a founding member of Boko Haram before becoming leader of its splinter faction, Jama’at Ansarul Muslimim Fi Biladi Sudan (JAMBS), which has been linked to high-profile kidnappings and violent attacks across northern Nigeria.
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With the latest ruling, the court has cleared the way for video evidence tendered by the DSS to be presented in court. The recordings are expected to demonstrate that the defendants’ confessional statements were made voluntarily. The defendants had earlier claimed that their statements were extracted under duress, leading the court to conduct a trial-within-trial to determine the admissibility of the evidence.
“The court registrar and all parties will be present while the video recordings are played,” Justice Nwite ordered, adding that the trial will continue on October 23 and 24.
Arguing in favour of the application, Izinyon said the DSS was ready to prosecute the matter without further delay. “The interest of justice requires that this case, which has lingered for years, be determined expeditiously,” he stated.
Although the trial began shortly after Al-Barnawi’s arrest in 2016, progress has been hampered by a series of legal and administrative challenges. The court’s decision to allow an accelerated hearing is now seen as a significant step in delivering justice for the victims of one of Nigeria’s deadliest terrorist attacks and in strengthening the country’s fight against terrorism.
Proceedings are expected to resume on October 23 and 24, when the video evidence will be reviewed and the trial-within-trial concluded before the substantive hearing continues.
By PRNigeria
