Justice John Tsoho of an Abuja Federal High Court Abuja, has ordered al–Barnawi whose real name is Mohammed Usman who was allegedly responsible for the 2011 bombing of the United Nations (UN) building in Abuja, to be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Service (DSS).
Shaibu Labaran, prosecuting counsel had at the last adjournment sought the court to vary its earlier order to remand the defendants in Kuje Prison, but the DSS custody owing to security challenge at Kuje Prison.
The trial court granted the application at the resumption of trial, adjourning the matter to May 23, June 6, 7, 19, 20 and 21 for commencement of trial.
The defendants were also accused of the being involved in many terrorist attacks in states of the federation, including Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Sokoto and FCT-Abuja.
The leader of the terror group was arraigned alongside Mohammed Saleh, Umar Bello (Abu Azzan), Mohammed Salisu (Datti), Yakubu Nuhu (Bello Maishayi), Usman Abubakar (Mugiratu) and Halima Haliru, al – Barnawi’s second wife in an 11 count charge.
They were accused of kidnapping Christopher Mcmamus (Briton), Franco Lamoliara (Italian), Francis Colomp (French) and Edgar FridzRampach (German) at Birnin Kebbi where they were carrying out construction work and detained them at Mabera area of Sokoto State, before they were summarily murdered.
Al–Barnawi and his cohorts were also charged for intentionally killing seven internationally protected persons namely Carlos BouAzziz, Brendan Vaughan, Silvano Trevisan, Konstantinos Karras, Ghaida Yaser Sa’ad (F), Julio Ibrahim El-Khouli and Imad El-Andari and buried them in a shallow grave at Ikirima Boko Haram Camp of Sambisa Forest.
Al- Barnawi’s wife, was accused of having “information which you know to be of material assistance in preventing members of boko Haram splinter group known as Jama’atuAnsarulMuslimina Fi Biladis Sudan a.k.a ANSARU from carrying out acts of terrorism but failed to disclosed it to the relevant security agencies you thereby committed an offence punishable under S.8 (1) (a) of Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 as amended in 2013”.
