Adoke Charges Alleged Boko Haram Senator For Terrorism
SAN FRANCISCO, December 5, (THEWILL) – The Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke SAN Monday charged Senator Ali Ndume (PDP Borno) before a Federal High Court in Abuja on counts bordering on terrorism, therefore allowing the Department of State Security (SSS) to withdraw the case it had earlier filed against the senator at an Abuja Chief Magistrate Court.
Chief Magistrate Oyebola Oyewunmi of the lower court had set Monday for ruling on the bail application filed by Ndume, who was until his arrest a member of the Presidential Committee set up to brain storm on Boko Haram. The ruling was however shelved and the case struck out after SSS prosecution led by Mr. Cliff Osagie filed an application seeking the discontinuance of the case and withdrawal of the First Information Report.
Osagie explained that the Federal Government had filed the same charges against the senator at the Federal High Court.
Ndume is alleged to be one of the sponsors of a radical Islamic group Boko Haram, which has claimed responsibility for chains of violent and deadly bomb attacks in Northern Nigeria.
The senator was named by a detained former spokesman of the terrorist group, Ali Sanda Umar Konduga, also known as Al-Zawahiri, who has since pleaded guilty to terrorism charges and is awaiting sentencing.
The Goodluck Jonathan led federal government has charged Ndume in the Federal High Court for allegedly disclosing classified information to a terrorist (Konduga), thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 3 (b) of the Terrorism Prevention Act 2011. He was also accused of providing logistics and supplying mobile phone numbers of some public officers to the terrorist.
The fresh charges against the senator reads, “That you, Mohammed Ali Ndume (m) on or about the 4th day of October, 2011 somewhere between Maiduguri and Abuja, being in possession of the mobile phone number of Ali Sanda Umar Konduga (alias Usman AI- Zawahiri), a terrorist spokesman of the Boko Haram sect which you know to be of material assistance in securing the apprehension of the said Ali Umar Konduga, did fail to disclose same information to a law officer as soon as reasonably practicable and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 7(1)(b) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011 and punishable under Section 7( 1) of the same Act.
“That you, Mohammed Ali Ndume (m) on or about the 4th day of October, 2011 somewhere between Maiduguri and Abuja, having received information from Ali Sanda Umar Konduga, a terrorist spokesman of the Boko Haram sect regarding planned attacks on judges of the Borno State Election Tribunal and the National Assembly, which you know to be of material assistance in securing the prosecution of members of the said Boko Haram Sect for an offence under the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 did fail to disclose same information to a law enforcement officer as soon as reasonably practicable and you thereby committed and offence contrary to section 7(1)(b) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 and punishable under Section 7(1) of the same Act.
“That you, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (m) on or about the 4th day of October, 2011 somewhere between Maiduguri and Abuja, being the operator of MTN GSM telephone number 08035998045, did provide logistics to wit: telephone numbers of certain public officers including the Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation, to Ali Sanda Umar Konduga (alias Usman Al-Zawahiri), a terrorist spokesman of the Boko Haram sect, for the activity of sending terrorist text messages to them, which you know is connected with an act of terrorism and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3(b) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 and punishable under Section 3 of the same Act.
“That you, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (m) on or about the 4th day of October, 2011 somewhere between Maiduguri and Abuja did knowingly render support for an act of terrorism by supplying the telephone numbers of certain public officers, including the Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation, to Ali Sanda Umar Konduga (alias Usman AI-Zawahiri), a terrorist spokesman of the Boko Haram sect, for the purpose of communicating terrorist messages to the said public officers and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 4(1)(a) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 and punishable under Section 4 of the same Act.”
No date has been set for hearing.
However, the Chief Magistrate Court said Koguda’s sentencing would be done on Tuesday, December 6, 2011, following his guilty plea.