DSS re-arraigns ‘Boko Haram member’ over 2014 bombing of Kano mosque

The Department of State Services (DSS) has re-arraigned Husseni Ismaila, the alleged mastermind of a bomb attack in Kano, at an Abuja federal high court. 

Ismaila, also known as Maitangaran, in 2014 allegedly masterminded multiple bomb attacks that killed 81 persons and injured 150 others outside a central mosque in Kano.  

E.A. Aduda, DSS counsel, told the court on Wednesday that the secret service had filed an amended charge of four counts against the defendant and prayed the court to read the charge to the defendant to take his plea.

The DSS counsel told the court that Maitangaran professed to be a Boko Haram member — an association that contravenes the provisions of the Terrorism Prevention Act 2013. 

“That you Husseni Ismaila, alias Maitangaran, 34-year-old male in 2014, directly participated in an act of terrorism and made a video message confessing to the crime of bombing the Kano Central Mosque,” NAN quoted Aduda as saying in court. 

“This led to the death of many Nigerians, including  police personnel. The act contravened Section 1(2) (8) of the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2013, and is punishable under the same act.”

The prosecuting counsel prayed the court to proceed with the trial in view of the ‘not guilty plea’ of the defendant.

While defending Maitangaran, Peter Dajang told the court that trial should not go on because the prosecution had flouted a valid order of the court.

According to Dajang, the court on December 6, 2021, ordered the prosecution to transfer the defendant from its custody to the Kuje correctional centre.

He said the transfer order was to enable his lawyers and family members to have access to him, but the DSS was yet to obey the order as the defendant was still in its custody.

Maitangaran’s lawyer said the prosecution did not appeal the order when it was made by the court, adding that the court could not sit on appeal over its own ruling.

Dajang also argued that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the application of the prosecution to vary the order, on the grounds that it was made on Dec. 6, 2021, and the prosecution had only six days to apply for a variation.

The court adjourned the case to January 25, 2024, to rule on the application to vary the order it made that the defendant be transferred to Kuje.

The court also fixed February 7, 2024, for continuation of the substantive matter.