DHQ Wants 500 Boko Haram Members Put On Trial Immediately

The Defence Headquarters, yesterday, presented a list of over 500 terror suspects, including a medical doctor working for the World Health Organisation to the Presidency for trial.

The action followed last Monday’s attack of an Air Force Base and MaiduguriAirport by Boko Haram insurgents which claimed several lives, destroyed two helicopters and three decommissioned Air force fighter jets.

The Boko Haram suspects have been in military detention facilities since the commencement of the state of emergency in the North-Eastern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

It was gathered that in some instances, attempts have been made by the sect to infiltrate the detention facilities and free the terror suspects which led to some of the failed attempts to attack military bases by Boko Haram.

Among those recommended for trial are some paramilitary or service personnel who were fighting on the side of the terrorists and other individuals who offered direct logistics support to the terrorists.

A statement signed by the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier-General Chris Olukolade in this regard said: “The Joint Investigation Team set up by the Defence Headquarters has recommended immediate trial of over 500 persons apprehended in the course of security operations against terrorists in Yobe, Borno and AdamawaStates.

“The suspects are among the almost 1,400 detainees screened by the team at the detention facilities in Maiduguri, Yola and Damaturu between July and September.

“Those recommended for immediate trial include high profile suspects, some of whom were training other terrorists in weapons handling as well as those who confessed to having been trained in Mali and other countries for the purpose of perpetrating terror in Nigeria.

“Also among those recommended for trial are a medical doctor, paramilitary or service personnel who were fighting on the side of the terrorists and other individuals who offered direct logistics support to the terrorists”.

“The team, however, recommended the release of 167 of the detainees from detention in Maiduguri, Yola and Damaturu.  About 614 others whose cases were inconclusive have been recommended for review.

“The report also proposed that some of the detainees be tried for other offences ranging from armed robbery and murder to drugs-related issues.  If the recommendations of the team sail through, the trial of some of the suspects will either take place in some states or Abuja”.

The statement said the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim commended the team for being thorough in conducting the assignment when he received the report.

He assured them that the recommendations will be treated with dispatch after due consultations with appropriate authorities.

The CDS said that the military authorities would continue to ensure that due process and highest professional standards were followed in managing the security operations in the states covered by the State of Emergency, adding that DHQ was committed to necessary steps that would ensure justice and fair play.

The report has since been forwarded to the Presidency through the office of National Security Adviser (NSA).

“It will be recalled that the Defence Headquarters in July set up a 19-member Joint Investigation Team of senior officers to screen and categorize detainees apprehended in the course of operations in the North East,” the statement said.

The measure which was meant to decongest the detention facilities in the areas of operations was also to ensure that necessary processes were set in motion for expeditious prosecution of culpable suspects in the fight against terror.

The team which comprised military, police, officials of federal and state ministries of justice as well as Immigration, Prisons and Customs officers, was tasked to examine, classify and recommend appropriate actions against detainees in the various detention centres in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States.

The NSA, it was gathered,  is already in consultation with the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) on subsequent litigation procedures following consideration of recommendations in the report.