The Department of State Services (DSS) on Wednesday asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to accept statements allegedly made by three men accused of spying on American and Israeli interests in Nigeria for people linked to Iran.
The suspects – Haruna Ali Abbas, Ibrahim Hussaini Musa, and Adam Suleiman – were arrested in 2013 in Kano and Lagos and have been facing terrorism-related charges.
During the trial, the defendants objected to their confessional statements being used in evidence, claiming they did not make them voluntarily.
This forced the court to hold a separate “trial-within-trial” to determine whether the statements were admissible.
At the resumption of the trial on Wednesday, the courtroom was largely empty.
According to the charge sheet, Abbas was arrested at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on March 16, 2013, while returning from Lebanon.
He is accused of recruiting young Nigerians, including Musa and Suleiman, for terrorism training in Iran.
Abbas is also accused of embarking on an act preparatory to an act of terrorism by compiling a list of American and Israeli concerns in Lagos and their locations he mapped, including the United States Consular office in Lagos, and sent them to one Abu Ali in Iran using coded emails.
The prosecutor, Bello Abu, while adopting his final written address, took the court through the evidence supplied by the prosecution to establish that the defendants made their statements voluntarily.
Counsel to the DSS faulted a claim by the defendants that they were compelled to make the statement, arguing that their claim is an afterthought.
He prayed the court to admit the statements in evidence and proceed with the substantive trial.
“The matter has commenced earnestly due to the new leadership in DSS, which is taking steps to ensure that all matters that are ongoing and very slow are expedited,” Abu said.
“That is why we are in court during vacation to have this matter dealt with immediately. Today, the matter came up for the adoption of the written addresses in the trial within trial.
“The matter has now been adjourned for ruling on the trial within trial.”
Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned his ruling to a later date that will be communicated to the parties.