FG Seeks Secret Trial Of Suspected Terrorists

The Federal Government has approached a Federal High Court in Abuja to seek an order to conduct a secret trial of Dr. Nazeef Yunus and two others who are suspected members of the Boko Haram sect in Kogi State.

The suspects, Dr Yunus, an assistant lecturer in Arabic and Islamic Studies at the Kogi State University, Lokoja, Umar Musa and Salami Abdullahi were arraigned before the court for alleged involvement in terrorist activities.

The trial of Dr Nazeef Yunus and the two others had been fixed to begin on May 6, but the prosecutor told the court that the application became necessary in order to protect the identity of witnesses to be called in the case.

The application was, however, opposed by lawyer to the first accused person, Dr Nazeef Yunus. The lawyer, Hassan Liman, argued that a secret trial would jeopardize the rights of the accused person.

Lawyer to the other accused persons, James Ocholi, also opposed the application, saying it attempts to indict and label the accused persons as members of Boko Haram when they were yet to be convicted by a competent court.

The prosecutor, who declined to speak on camera, however insisted that a secret trial would not jeopardize the rights of the accused persons, as journalists would be allowed to cover the proceedings.

With the defendants teeming up to oppose the application, Justice Gabriel Kolawole adjourned the case to May 18 for ruling.