How 3 Boko Haram members were jailed for attempting to bomb Lagos

The Lagos state attorney-general and commissioner for justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, has given details of how three Boko Haram members were tried in secret and  jailed for planning to bomb the state.

This is the first official confirmation of the infiltration of the state and an attempt to bomb Lagos by the insurgents.

At a press briefing on Thursday evening, Ipaye said Justice Ibrahim Buba of the federal high court in Lagos sentenced three members of the sect to a term of 25 years imprisonment each “with hard labour”.

The prosecution team, led by Ipaye, had sought hearing in camera for security reasons and this was granted by Buba.

Of the 17 suspects that were initially charged to court, 13 were later released.

They were all arraigned before Justice Buba on conspiracy to commit terrorism, illegal possession of firearms, and being members of a proscribed organisation.

A fourth accused person who only promised to provide money for “bail” of the first accused person was discharged and acquitted on the basis that there was insufficient evidence linking him to the plan, Ipaye said.

The commissioner said as a result of surveillance efforts, the Department of State Security carried out a coordinated raid of suspected terrorists around Lekki and Ijora areas of Lagos in March 2013.

Several improvised explosive devises, remote-controlled detonators, firearms and ammunition were found concealed at two of the locations.

“Following the submission of investigation report by the Department, the Attorney General of Lagos State obtained a fiat of the Attorney General of the Federation to prosecute the suspects at the Federal High Court under the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013 and other relevant statutes,” he said.

“In November 2013, the accused persons were arraigned for  various charges, including (i) conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism contrary to section 17 and 17(b) of the Terrorism Act, 2013; (ii) conspiracy to commit a felony under section 516 of the Criminal Code Act; (iii) concealing information about acts of terrorism contrary to section 8(1) of the Terrorism Act; and (iv) committing acts preparatory to or in furtherance of acts of terrorism contrary to section 1(2)(b) of the same Act; (v) having in their possession prohibited firearms and ammunition contrary to sections 3 and 27(1)(a) and sections 8 and 27(1)(b) of the Firearms Act and (vi) knowingly entering into an arrangement as a result of which money is to be made available for the purpose of terrorism contrary to section 13(2) of the Terrorism Act, 2013.”

On June 23, 2014, a blast at Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos, killed three persons in what was suspected to be a terror attack.

Although the state government played down the incident, Boko Haram later released a video claiming responsibility for the attack.