On Monday, the State Security Service (SSS) re-arraigned a former Kogi State University lecturer, Mohammed Nazeef, and two others from a Federal High Court in Abuja before Justice Iyang Ekwo.
Mr Nazeef, 44, from Idah, Kogi State, finished his secondary education at El-Kanemi College, Maiduguri, according to the SSS, before graduating from Medina Islamic University, Saudi Arabia.
He received a Master’s degree from Jos University after his National Youth Service Corp in Jos before acquiring a Ph.D. in Arabic and Islamic studies from Kogi State University where he was a teaching assistant.
Mr Nazeef and Musa Umar and Salami Abdullahi (a.k.a Asta) have been reassigned for supposedly being members of a Boko Haram cell on an amended eight-count charge.
Before being transferred to the Court of Appeal, they were arraigned before Justice Gabriel Kolawole.
At the resumed hearing, SSS counsel, Adewumi Aloko, informed the court that the charges against the accused had been modified and that a new plea had to be made.
One of the counts reads: “That you Mohammed Nazeef Yunus, adult, male, of Idah in Kogi State, Musa Umar, adult, male, of Ankpa in Kogi State, Salami Abdullahi (a.k.a Asta), adult, male, of Ayingba, in Kogi State, on diverse dates during the months of May to October, 2013 at Ayingba in Kogi State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court attended meetings at a fuel service station owned by Salami Abdullahi (a.k.a Asta) situated at Ayingba, marked road also at No. 24 Iyale road, and at other places at Ayingba, Kogi State, which meetings you knew were concerned and connected with an act of terrorism and Boko Haram, a proscribed terrorist group. You thereby committed an offence contrary to section 4 of the Terrorism Prevention Act 2013(as amended).”
They pleaded “not guilty” to the amended charges.
The defence team, thereafter, prayed the court to allow the defendants to continue with the bail earlier granted them by the court.
The request of the defence was granted by Mr Ekwo, who adjourned to October 21, 22, 23 and 24 for “commencement of trial.”
