By Joy Baba with agency report
The alleged mastermind of the April 14 bomb blast that killed over 75 persons at a crowded motor park in Nyanya Abuja, Aminu Ogwuche, on Monday, begged a Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, to order his immediate release from detention.
In an ex-parte application he filed through a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Ahmed Raji, Ogwuche, 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.
Joined as 1st and 2nd Respondents in the motion were the State Security Service and the Attorney General of the Federation.
It will be recalled that planned arraignment of the suspect on the last adjourned date, September 26, suffered setback owing to bickering between the Department of State Service, DSS, and the Nigerian Police Force, over which of them should be allowed to conduct the trial.
Sequel to a heated argument that ensued between lawyers from the two security agencies, Justice Adeniyi adjourned to enable the federal government to put its house in order.
The government had in its bid to expedite the process of extraditing the accused person from Sudan where he escaped to shortly after the terrorist attack, entered a three-count criminal charge before the high court.
The charge which was endorsed by the Inspector General of Police, was still pending before the high court when the accused person was successfully returned to the country with the help of the Interpol in Sudan.
Though the DSS declined to produce Ogwuche in court, it acknowledged his presence in its custody.
Ogwuche was in the charge before the court, 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 over a hundred 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.
The trial Justice, Ademola Adeniyi yesterday adjourned hearing on the bail request till November 24.
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