“I Joined Before the UN Bombing,” Suspect Tells Court

A suspect on trial over the 2011 bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Abuja has told a federal court how he became part of a militant network shortly before the attack, as judges weigh whether his confession was obtained voluntarily.

In a video recording played in open court on Tuesday, Mohammed Saleh, the second defendant in the case, said he met the alleged mastermind, Khalid al-Barnawi, in Bauchi State weeks before the bombing and joined his group soon afterwards.

The footage was presented during a “trial within a trial” at the Federal High Court in Abuja — a legal process aimed at determining whether statements made by the defendants can be admitted as evidence.

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Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) is prosecuting al-Barnawi and four others over the 26 August 2011 attack, which killed more than 20 people and injured scores more. It was the first bombing of a UN facility in the country.

Confession Under Scrutiny

As part of the proceedings, the court viewed additional recordings of Saleh’s interview before the defence began cross-examining the third prosecution witness.

The witness, identified as TSR3, told the court he works in the DSS technical unit and was responsible for recording suspect interviews.
“I record suspects in real time during interview sessions,” he said, adding that his duties also include forensic analysis of computers and mobile phones, as well as crime-scene work such as fingerprint examination.

He said he recorded al-Barnawi’s interview, the statement-taking process and the translation of the suspect’s statement.

Under questioning by defence lawyer F. K. Kaigama, the witness acknowledged that several officers in his department share the same first name — a line of questioning aimed at testing the credibility and handling of the interview process.

Trial Paused

Justice Emeka Nwite later adjourned the hearing, citing other official engagements. The case is due to resume on 2 March, when cross-examination of the witness will continue.

Al-Barnawi was arrested in April 2016 in Lokoja, five years after the bombing. He is standing trial alongside Mohammed Bashir Saleh, Umar Mohammed Bello, Mohammed Salisu and Yakubu Nuhu.

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The case remains one of Nigeria’s most closely watched terrorism prosecutions, more than a decade after an attack that brought global attention to militant violence in the country.

Prosper Okoye

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Prosper Okoye is a Correspondent and Research Writer at Prime Business Africa, a Nigerian journalist with experience in development reporting, public affairs, and policy-focused storytelling across Africa

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“I Joined Before the UN Bombing,” Suspect Tells Court