From the dock, one of the
three suspected Lebanese terrorists, Mr Talai Ahmed Rhoda, facing terrorism
charge before an Abuja Federal High Court, yesterday sang like a parrot on how
his fellow countrymen engaged in illegal importation of prohibited firearms
into Nigeria for decades, targeted all Israelis interests in the country and
plotted to kill Israeli ambassador to Nigeria, on Nigerian soil.
Although he did not mention any of the co-accused persons as
members of the criminal ring engaging in the illegal and criminal activities,
he fingered one Abdulhassan Tahir, also a Lebanese, as the arrowhead.
Rhoda told the court yesterday that Tahir had however fled the
country before the security operatives spread out their dragnets for him.
He also confessed working for him to tender a large bunker
located in Gaya Street, Kano, which is now in evidence in the case.
He specifically admitted that he was a resident at 3 Gaya Road
in Kano as a squatter but had good knowledge of the arms in the bunker. He
admitted having knowledge of the weapons and helped in servicing the arms on
the instruction of the owner of the said property at 3 Gaya Road, Kano, one
Abdulhassan Tahir.
He however added that he never knew whetehr or not Tahir sought
or got the permission of the federal government to engage in the importation of
the prohibited arms.
His words: “Tahir told me that those arms were licensed and I
had no reason whatsoever not to believe him. I was also afraid to report to the
police because I felt it might be a risk for me. “In 1995, we went to the house
where the weapons were kept and I helped Issah. I helped in carrying boxes to
the house. I saw AK-47, land mine. “I cleaned the coolers.
We bought them in Sabongari and I gave them to Issah, we put it
on top of the ground. Issah did the changing of the boxes. I am not aware of
the contents of the boxes.
The AK-47 I saw was also in the house at Gaya road.” Rhoda is
the third accused person in the terrorism charge preferred against the three
Lebanese businessmen by the federal government and the first to give evidence
in the matter for the defence.
He further stunned the court yesterday when he confessed that
though he was conscious of the legal implication of what his countrymen were
doing in Nigeria he was afraid that he could be killed with the life of his
only daughter imperilled if he reported to the police.
He also confirmed that there was a plot to assassinate the
ambassador of Israel on Nigerian soil while he added that the Israelis
interests were also targeted by the Lebanese.
But he quickly added that he got the information from Tahir who
is presently on the run. The suspect also confirmed the alleged surveillance on
Saudi Arabia Embassy and the plot to kill the ambassador. “I was told of the
story by Abdulhassan Tahir, owner of 3 Gaya Road.
But Tahir didn’t say they succeeded in killing the Saudi
Ambassador in Nigeria,” Rhoda stated. He said further that “When I went for my
daughter’s wedding, Issah, a Hezbollah member asked me to give him information
on Israeli interests in Nigeria, which I refused”.
He admitted being afraid of his involvement with friends,
saying, “sometimes I was afraid of my life due to the life around me. “I left
Nigeria in 2008 and returned in 2010.
Then, I wasn’t allowed to mention anything to anybody. I didn’t
because my life was at stake and I feared for my beautiful daughter”.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese, who opened their defence yesterday
after the prosecution had closed its case on Wednesday had applied through
their counsel, Raji Ahmed, for relocation to prison, claiming the SSS facility
in which they had been detained for was no longer conducive for them.
“We have more defence witnesses, and our application is seeking
to move the accused persons to a different custody, preferably Kuje prison or
any other facility in Abuja to guarantee them serenity of mind” Raji said.
“The 1st and 2nd accused persons are afraid to stay in the DSS
custody anymore. They should be transferred to a neutral place so that they can
come to court with a free mind and express themselves in the evidence they
shall give before this court,” he added.
More so, Raji said the accused person’s demand was not borne out
of disrespect for the DSS but that they were no longer comfortable based on
strange experiences they have had being detained in the DSS custody.
The prosecuting counsel, Simon Egede, did not oppose the
application but wondered why they would prefer prison custody when the SSS
facility is good for them. Subsequently, Justice Ademola Adeniyi granted the
application and ordered that the suspects be taken to Kuje prison.
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Politics
My spirit disagree with dis man's confession, they should hold them, and more investigation should be carried out plss.
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