A suspected member of Boko Haram, Mustapha Umar, who is being tried for allegedly attempting to bomb SOJ Plaza – occupied by Thisday, the Sun and the Moment, on Kontagora Road on April 26, 2012 has denied the allegations.

Umar made this confession in an interview conducted by the police shortly after he was arrested on April 26, 2012.

The recorded interview contained in a video compact disc (VCD) was tendered in court by prosecution lawyer, Simon Labaran.

The video was played in the open court

Although conducted in Hausa, a court interpreter interpreted the interview in English.

In the interview, Umar said he coordinated the attacks on Thisday Abuja office and the one in Kaduna and was not supported by Boko Haram.

He said that his intention was to wreck the organization for publishing insulting materials about Prophet Mohammed.

Umar, 34 years, a Kanuri from Borno State and a widower with children, said he was not a member of Boko Haram.

He said the attacks for which he was being tried were coordinated by himself and some of his friends trained under Sheikh Ja’afar M’adam in Maiduguri.

Umar, who said he was educated up to secondary school level having attended the Government Day Secondary School, Maiduguri, stated that while the Kaduna bombing was done with his private Honda car he bought a year earlier, the bombing of the newspaper’s office in Abuja was carried out by his friend – Alhaji – with his jeep.

The trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola admitted in evidence a translated transcription of the interview conducted in Hausa.
With the admission of the exhibit, the prosecution closed its case.

The defence led by Nureini Sulaiman has said he was going to make a no case submission.

Justice Ademola adjourned to June 24 for adoption of all processes in respect of the defence’s no-case submission.