By OLAWALE AKINREMI

Justice Nkeonye Maha of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, on Tuesday, ruled against the objection to the admissibility of extra judicial statements made by four defendants facing trial over alleged complicity in terrorism.

The Department of State Services (DSS) is prosecuting three officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and a woman, Asmau Omar, on a 15-count amended charge bordering on conspiracy, illegal arms dealing and aiding and abetting terrorism.

Other co-defendants and personnel of NSCDC are: Olamide Okesola, Emmanuel Olatunji, and Adeleke Adewale,

All the defendants, who had pleaded not guilty to the offences at their arraignment in the case, which started in 2023, had objected to the tendering of their alleged extra judicial statement, claiming it was obtained by duress.

In four separate rulings, Maha stated that the she had watched and re-watched the video clips where the defendants each made their confessional statements both in the open court and in her chamber to be sure that her decision was accurate.

The judge held that the defendants grounds of objection were merely embellished in order to score a point.

Citing various sections of the law to support her decision, Maha held that the quartet had not placed any evidence before the court to warrant the rejection of the statements tendered against them by the DSS.

“Therefore, the extra judicial statements tendered against each of the defendants by the prosecution are admitted in evidence,” Maha ruled.

Subsequently, the judge adjourned the matter until July 6 and July 7 for continuation of trial.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that each of Okesola, Olatunji, Adewale and Omar had during separate trial within trial told the court that the extra judicial statements tendered against them were not voluntarily made.

According to the defendants, the DSS operatives subjected them to various kinds of torture and intimidation before obtaining their statements. (NAN)

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