The Federal High Court in Abuja has commenced a trial-within-trial to determine claims of coercion and intimidation raised by defendants in the ongoing prosecution of suspects linked to the 2011 bombing of the United Nations building in Abuja.

At the resumed proceedings on Friday, the counsels representing both the prosecution and the defence confirmed that they had jointly reviewed video recordings of the defendants’ interrogations in the presence of court officials.

The Department of State Services (DSS), also told the court that masked witnesses would testify during the trial-within-trial to address the defendants’ allegations of coercion in obtaining their statements.

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The development followed an earlier ruling by Justice Emeka Nwite, granting the DSS’ request for an accelerated hearing in the long-standing terrorism case.

The trial involves Khalid Al-Barnawi, alleged mastermind of the August 26, 2011 UN building bombing, which killed over 20 people and injured more than 70 others.

Al-Barnawi, arrested in 2016 in Lokoja, Kogi State by the DSS, is accused of leading a faction of the Boko Haram group known as Ansaru.