Boko Haram: Court refuses varsity don’s bail application

Delivering ruling, Justice Gabriel Kolawole held that the offence carries capital punishment upon conviction as provided in section 1(2) (b) of the amended Terrorism Prevention Act, 2013. He added that the recent atrocities of the Boko Haram sect in Yobe and Borno states in the last six weeks have raised serious security concerns that the court cannot ignore.
He therefore upheld the submissions of prosecuting counsel from the Ministry of Justice, Mrs N.B. Jones-Nebo that releasing the suspects on bail would be risky for “unsuspecting members of the public.”
While remanding the accused persons in Kuje Prisons, the judge assured counsel to Salami, James Ocholi (SAN) of his client’s “access to the National Hospital in Abuja and every other top medical facility in the country whenever the need arises.” He consequently approved accelerated hearing for April 18 and 19.