By Vivian Okejeme Abuja–
A suspected Boko Haram member arrested by the police in Ondo state, Mohammed Bashir, has revealed that more members of the sect are in hiding within the state.
Bashir was nabbed by security operatives on Sunday at Isua Akoko, in the northern senatorial district of the state and has been speaking to the police on his sojourn in the area.
Th e suspect, who was paraded by the police on Tuesday at the police headquarters in Akure, said he only joined the sect eight months ago and had killed only two persons.
Police said the suspect was arrested while “loitering” along Isua-Ifi ra Akoko road.
Th e arrest of the suspect linked to the Islamic sect in the Akoko area is the second within one week.
Bashir, who claimed to be 20-year old, hails from Nasarawa state, Northcentral Nigeria.
Th e Commissioner of Police in the state, Gbenga Adeyanju, told journalists that he had received directive Judge withdraws from trial to hand the suspect over to the Nigerian Army.
He said Bashir was arrested almost at the same spot a member of the sect was arrested last week.
On revelation of more sect members in the state, Adeyanju said his men were equal to the task.
“If he says that there are many of them in the state, we will get them.
We will not reveal what we are going to do and how we will carry out our operations, but we will get them,” Adeyanju assured.
Last week Tuesday, a wanted member of the sect, Idris Ibrahim Babawo, was picked by local vigilante group and handed over to the police.
Th e suspect was found to be a wanted member of the sect when the Nigerian Army took him into custody.
Judge steps aside from trial Meanwhile, Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday disqualifi ed himself from the trial of eight suspected members of the Boko Haram sect.
Th e federal government is prosecuting the accused persons on an 11-count charge for allegedly kidnapping and murdering foreign nationals between 2011 and 2013 in the northern part of the country.
Th e defendants are; Mohammed Usman (aka Khalid Albarnawi), described as leader of a Boko Haram splinter group, Mohammed Bashir Saleh, Umar Bello (aka Abu Azzan); Mohammed Salisu (Datti); Yakubu Nuhu (aka Bello Maishayi), Usman Abubakar (Mugiratu) and a lady, Halima Aliyu.
Justice Tsoho in his ruling on the application by the defendants for transfer of their case, disqualifi ed himself from presiding over the trial.
Th e trial judge noted that the Boko Haram suspect were alleging bias and loss of confi dence because of the order that they be kept in DSS custody against its earlier ruling.
He held that since the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th defendants had alleged bias, the honourable thing to do “is to disqualify myself from hearing the case.
Th ough, Justice Tsoho observed that his order of April 25, 2017 was not appealed, he, however withdrew from the trial.
“As admitted by the federal government’s lawyer, justice is rooted in confi dence; the position taken by the aff ected defendants is very clear and fundamental in law.
“In keeping with the demand of the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th defendants, this court is minded to disqualify itself from moving ahead with the trial.
“Th e case fi le will be returned to the Acting Chief Judge for reassignment to another court” Justice Tsoho declared.
Th e trial judge, had on March 14, 2017, ordered that the defendants be remanded in Kuje prison custody.
Instead of obeying the remand order made on March 14, the prosecution counsel returned to court with an application seeking Tsoho to vary his earlier directive.
After taking arguments from prosecution and defence lawyers, the court, on April 25, succumbed to the pressure by federal government, and ordered that the defendants be kept in DSS custody.
Earlier, the aff ected defendants had informed the court that the 1st defendant had complained bitterly that he was unfairly treated under DSS custody, having been separated from his co-defendants.
Specifi cally, Abah told Justice Tsoho that the 1st, 4th and 6th defendants had alleged bias on the part of the court, and had sought transfer of the trial to another judge.
In the same vein, Elisha Oloruntoba, representing the 5th defendant and Aliyu Momoh, counsel to the 7th and 8th defendants, all informed Justice Tsoho that their clients were accusing him of bias.
Opposing the application, the prosecution counsel said it was a ploy to delay the trial and to dramatise proceeding.
Th e charge, named the murdered foreigners as; Christopher Mcmamus (Briton), Franco Lamoliara (Italian), Francis Colomp (French) and Edgar Fridz Rampach (German).
Th ey were said to have been killed by their abductors after being kidnapped from a construction site in Birnin Kebbi.
Th ey were abducted on May 12, 2011 and detained at the Mabera area of Sokoto state until March, 8, 2012 when they were allegedly killed by their abductors.
