A Federal High Court in Abuja has given the Department of State Service (DSS) the go-ahead to detain 10 suspected terrorists, who had planned to launch a Boko Haram/ISWAP cell in Osun, for 60 days pending the conclusion of the investigation.
Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling on the ex-parte motion moved by DSS lawyer, Y.I. Umar, held that the application was meritorious and accordingly granted.
“An order is hereby made enabling the State Security Service (aka DSS)/applicant to detain the respondents for sixty (60) days pending the conclusion of the investigation,” he ruled.
The security agency also listed Babakura Mallam Abacha, Muhammed Ciroma, Ali Gambo,
Muhammed Umoru and and Muhammed Bundi as 6th to 10 respondents respectively.
The DSS, in the motion dated Dec. 18, 2024, but filed Dec. 20, 2024, sought one prayer.
The DSS, in the affidavit deposed to by Yamuje Benye, a personnel of the agency attached to the Legal Service Department at the national headquarters, averred that the suspects were arrested in llesa East LGA in Osun.
It said they were arrested on Dec. 16, 2024, upon reasonable suspicious of their involvement in terrorism.
The security.outfit said preliminary investigation revealed that the respondents were members of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group.
“That the respondents were arrested while undergoing training on how to manufacture and detonate improvised explosive devices (IEDs),” it said.
The agency alleged that the suspects were members of the late Abubakar Shekau terrorist group, who escaped from Sambisa Forest to Osun because of the series of onslaught being carryout by the Nigerian Army against them.
It said the respondents are aiding the applicant to unravel other members of the terrorist group who are stil at large.
According to the DSS, releasing the respondents at this stage of the preliminary investigation will be detrimental to the applicant’s efforts to arrest other members of the terrorist group.
It said the activities of the respondents constitute potent threat to national security and corporate existence of Nigeria.
The DSS said there was need for a thorough Investigation of the suspects to ensure that they do not pose any security threat to Nigeria or the world at large.
It said the suspects are helping with vital Information that would lead to the arrest of other members of the gang who are at large, hence the need to grant the application.
