The trial of Kabiru Umar, (alias Kabiru Sokoto), the alleged mastermind of the 2011 Christmas Day bombing of St Theresa’s catholic church in Madalla, Niger State continues on Thursday, May 9 before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, will also rule on Sokoto’s bail application on the next adjourned.
Counsel to Sokoto, Adamu Ibrahim, urged the court to quash the charge against his client for want of jurisdiction.
He argued that it is unlawful for his client to stand trial in Abuja considering that the alleged offenses were committed in Niger and Sokoto states.
More so, he said, the proof of evidence does not disclose a prima facie case against his client.
Prosecuting counsel, Chioma Onuegbu, who opposed the motion said, though, the alleged offence was committed in Niger and Sokoto states, the accused person was arrested in Abuja and therefore, can be tried by the Abuja Federal High Court.
Justice Ademola, who dismissed the motion said the Federal High Court anywhere has jurisdiction to try the accused person for the alleged offense (terrorism) and that a prima facie case has been adduced by the prosecution to warrant his trial.
Sokoto is alleged to have, in 2011, trained about 500 men in Abaji and incited them to commit terrorist acts.
He is also accused of facilitating the commission of terrorist acts by planting and encouraging ‘his boys’ in Mabera, Sokoto State, with the intention of bombing the police headquarters in Sokoto and some other government organizations in the state.
