Lokoja Chief Magistrates Court orders remand of re-arrested Boko Haram suspect

A Lokoja Chief Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday ordered the remand of one Muktar Suleiman, a suspected Boko Haram member, who escaped from the custody of the Department of State Security (DSS)in 2015. 

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Levi Animoku, who gave the order, described the charges preferred against the accused as horrifying and grievous. “Culpable homicide is the highest crime in our legal system. “Section 341(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) simpliciter, precludes a court from granting bail to a person accused of such offence. “Consequently, the accused shall be remanded at the Federal Prisons, Koton-Karfe and the case is adjourned till March 16, for mention,” he ruled.

The prosecuting counsel, Mohammed Abaji, in his application for the remand of the accused, urged the court to take cognizance of the charges preferred against him. Abaji, a counsel in the Ministry of Justice, said the accused was arraigned on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide and belonging to a gang of brigands. He said that the offences contravened Sections 97(1), 221, 305 of the Penal Code and Section 4 of the Terrorism [Prevention][Amendment] Act 2013. 

Abaji told the court that Suleiman and one other currently at large, members of an outlaw society, Boko Haram, escaped from custody of the DSS with the aid of other members of the group in 2015. 

The escapees, according to Abaji, killed a policeman and a fellow inmate during their escape. He said that investigations revealed that they fled to a place in Yobe, Zaria and Kano for further training about three months ago. 

The prosecutor said that investigations revealed that the accused and others after their training came to Otukpo in Benue, as well as Ankpa, Idah,and Anyigba in Kogi on recruitment drive. Abaji also told the court that the accused and his group were planning to launch attacks on specific places in Ankpa and Anyigba before he was arrested. He urged the court to adjourn for mention the case to allow for completion of investigations into the matter.