A Federal High court in Abuja, Monday, freed Aminu Oguche, the suspected mastermind of the Nyanya, outskirt of Abuja, bomb blasts that killed over 70 people.
The court said it struck out a two-count terrorism charge against Mr. Oguche, on Monday, “after months of an alleged illogical trial for the April 2014 attack, which killed more than 70 people. The court said it is striking out the case for want of diligent prosecution by the state.
Mr. Oguche, a suspected Boko Haram member, was accused of being the brain behind the deadly Nyanya bomb attack. The blast at the Nyanya Motor Park occurred during morning peak hours as residents were hurrying to work.
It would be recalled that government had said Mr. Oguche fled to Sudan shortly after coordinating the attack. He was later to be repatriated to Nigeria to face charges.
The primary suspect and alleged ‘mastermind’ of the April 14 bomb blast in Nyanya, Abuja, was arrested, on April 17th by Sudanese security operatives, with assistance of International Police (INTERPOL). He was later repatriated to Nigeria.
The coordinator, Joint Information Centre on Terrorism, Mike Omeri, had said at a joint news conference then that Interpol operatives arrested Aminu Oguche, a former Nigerian soldier with service number SVC 95/104, in Sudan.
“One of the two most wanted suspects of the Nyanya bombings placed on terrorists list has been arrested with the effort of the Interpol,” Mr. Omeri said.
He also said that Mr. Oguche’s extradition to Nigeria would commence immediately for interrogation and prosecution. Mr. Oguche, a U.K-born Nigerian who deserted the army in 2006, was declared wanted by the Department of State Security, SSS, alongside another suspect, Rufai Tsiga. According to him, Mr. Tsiga is still at large.
The ex-soldier was accused of being an accomplice in the Boko Haram attack at the Nyanya Motor Park that killed more than 70 people and injured over 120 others. The spokesperson of the SSS, Marilyn Ogar, had then announced a N25 million reward for anyone who could give useful information about the duo at a joint conference.
Five other suspects; Ahmad Abubakar, 43; Muhammed Ishaq, 30; Yau Saidu, 28; Anas Isah, 22; and Adamu Yusuf, a cleric, 43, were also paraded in connection with the bombing. The paraded suspects claimed that they bombed the park to retaliate the killing of a Boko Haram member at the park a week before the incident. Ms. Ogar said that on the morning of April 14, Mr. Tsiga and one of the arrested suspects, Mr. Ishaq, moved a vehicle laden with explosives to the Nyanya Park.
She said that Mr. Oguche served in the Intelligence Unit of the Nigerian Army at Child Avenue, Arakan Barracks, Lagos, between 2001 and 2006.
Mr. Oguche, was said to have been arrested on November 12, 2011 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on arrival from the U.K. for suspected involvement in terrorism-related activities.
