Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered the remand of four suspected terrorists linked to notorious bandit kingpin, Bello Turji, in Kuje Correctional Centre.
The defendants—Musa Kamarawa, Abubakar Hashimu (also known as “Doctor”), Samuel Chinedu, and Lucky Chukwuma—pleaded not guilty to an 11-count charge bordering on terrorism during their arraignment on Monday.
The Federal Government, through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, filed the charges against eight individuals, four of whom remain at large, including Turji himself.
The suspects are accused of providing material support to terrorist groups by procuring and supplying illicit drugs such as penta injections and cannabis, food items, and military and police uniforms.
The defendants also allegedly aided the logistics of terrorism by distributing camouflage clothing to the groups.
In his short ruling, Justice Nwite ordered that the four defendants be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, pending the commencement of their trial. The court adjourned the matter to February 10, 2025, for trial.
The defendants denied all allegations when the charges were read to them in court.
Earlier reports confirmed that three of the eight defendants listed in the charge, including Bello Turji, remain at large. Efforts by security agencies to apprehend the remaining suspects are ongoing.
The arrests and subsequent charges are part of an intensified effort by the Nigerian government to clamp down on terrorist activities and dismantle networks linked to Turji, a notorious figure in Nigeria’s banditry and terrorism landscape.