Terror: S/Court sets Lebanese man free

The Federal High Court, however, freed Mustapha Fawaz and Abdullah Thani, of the charges. Unhappy, Roda had approached the Court of Appeal which upheld the judgement. Dissatisfied, Roda through his counsel, Ahmed Raji SAN approached the apex court. He hinged his appeal on ground that the court lacked geographical jurisdiction ‎to hear and convict him.
Roda also argued that the charge in which he was tried was unknown to Nigeria law. Delivering judgment, Justice Musa Dattijo agreed with the appellant that the Abuja division of the Federal High Court lacked geographical jurisdiction to sit on a case that happened in Kano State where there is another division of the court.
The Federal Government had dragged the accused, Mustapha Fawaz, Abdallah Thahani and Talal Ahmed Rodo, to court over terrorist activities bordering on illegal importation of firearms. The Nigerian military had uncovered heavy weapons in a building in Kano allegedly owned by the Lebanese.
Nigerian authorities subsequently sealed off two buildings in Abuja, Amigo Supermarket and Wonderland Amusement Park, also co-owned by Mr. Fawaz. The Lebanese were also accused of being members of Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based group considered a terrorist organisation by the U.S.
Raji however, opposed the submission of the prosecution counsel, saying Hezbollah had not been pronounced a terrorist organization by the Nigerian government. He said Hezbollah was like any other group and therefore prayed the court to acquit and discharge the accused.