UN Bombing Trial: Suspect Tells Court How Friendship With Al-Barnawi Led Him Into Boko Haram

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

At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, Mohammed Bashir Saleh, the second defendant, narrated in a video recording played before the court how he joined Al-Barnawi shortly before the deadly attack. Saleh said he met Al-Barnawi in Bauchi, and that their relationship quickly developed, leading to his eventual involvement with Boko Haram.

The suspects are being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) for their alleged roles in the bombing, which was the first attack on an international agency’s building in Nigeria. The explosion claimed over 20 lives and left more than 70 people injured.

Al-Barnawi was arrested by the DSS in April 2016 in Lokoja, Kogi State, five years after the attack. He is also known by several aliases, including Kafuri, Naziru, Alhaji Yahaya, Mallam Dauda, and Alhaji Tanimu. He is standing trial alongside Mohammed Bashir Saleh, Umar Mohammed Bello (also known as Datti), Mohammed Salisu, and Yakubu Nuhu (also known as Bello Maishayi).

During Wednesday’s proceedings, the court viewed another video recording of Saleh’s interview session. The court also continued a trial-within-trial aimed at determining whether the confessional statements made by the defendants were given voluntarily.

Under cross-examination by counsel to the first defendant, F.K. Kaigama, the third prosecution witness, identified as “TSR3,” testified 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.

The witness further explained that his responsibilities also cover computer and mobile phone forensic examinations, as well as crime scene investigations such as fingerprint collection and laboratory analysis. He told the court that, beyond setting up the equipment, he personally carried out the audio and video recording of Al-Barnawi’s interview sessions in real time, including the recording of the statement-taking process and its translation.
When asked about the presence of a DSS staff member named James in his department, the witness said there were several officers bearing that name in the Technical Department.

At that point, the trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, ordered the suspension of proceedings due to other official engagements. With the consent of counsel to all parties, the court adjourned the case until March 2 for the continuation of the cross-examination of the third prosecution witness in the trial-within-trial.