UN Building Bombing Trial: How I Joined Al-Barnawi in Boko Haram – Suspect

One of the suspects standing trial alongside alleged Boko Haram operative Khalid Al-Barnawi over the August 26, 2011 bombing of the United Nations building in Abuja has told a Federal High Court in Abuja how he became a member of the terror group.

The suspect, Mohammed Bashir Saleh, who is the second defendant in the case being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS), disclosed this in a video recording played before the court during the resumed hearing of the matter, on Wednesday.

In the footage, Saleh said he met Al-Barnawi in Bauchi shortly before the attack on the UN facility and that their association eventually led to his joining Boko Haram.

Al-Barnawi was arrested by the DSS in April 2016 in Lokoja, Kogi State, nearly five years after the bombing, which was the first attack on an international organisation’s facility in Nigeria.

The explosion killed more than 20 people and injured over 70 others.

Also known by several aliases, including Kafuri, Naziru, Alhaji Yahaya, Mallam Dauda and Alhaji Tanimu, Al-Barnawi is being tried alongside Saleh, Umar Mohammed Bello (also known as Datti), Mohammed Salisu, and Yakubu Nuhu, also called Bello Maishayi.

At Wednesday’s proceedings, the court viewed another video recording of Saleh’s interview and continued the trial-within-trial to determine whether the confessional statements allegedly made by the defendants were given voluntarily. The court also commenced the cross-examination of the third prosecution witness.

During cross-examination by defence counsel to the first defendant, F. K. Kaigama, the witness, identified as TSR3, told the court that he works in the Technical Department of the DSS. He said his duties include setting up audio and video recording equipment in interview rooms and recording suspects during interrogation sessions.

The witness further stated that his responsibilities also cover computer and mobile phone forensic examinations, as well as crime scene investigations, including fingerprint collection and laboratory analysis.

He told the court that in relation to Al-Barnawi, he personally carried out the real-time audio and video recording of the interview session, recorded the statement-taking process, and also documented the translation of the statement.

Responding to a question on whether there was a person named James in the DSS Technical Department, the witness said several officers with that name work in the department.

At that stage, the trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, ordered an adjournment, citing other official engagements.

With the consent of counsel to all parties, the court adjourned proceedings until March 2 for the continuation of the cross-examination of the third prosecution witness in the ongoing trial-within-trial.

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