A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday admitted three video recordings tendered by the Department of State Services (DSS) in the ongoing trial-within-trial of five men accused of orchestrating the 2011 bombing of the United Nations building in the capital.
Justice Emeka Nwite, presiding over the matter, ruled that the videos would be played in open court to test the defendants’ claims that their extra-judicial statements to the DSS were obtained under duress. The case was adjourned to December 5 for continuation of the playback, beginning with footage relating to the remaining defendants.
The DSS alleges that militant leader Khalid Al-Barnawi and four others—Mohammed Bashir Saleh, Umar Mohammed Bello (alias Datti), Mohammed Salisu, and Yakubu Nuhu (alias Bello Maishayi)—were responsible for the August 26, 2011 suicide bombing that killed at least 20 people and injured more than 70 at the UN complex in Abuja.
Al-Barnawi, arrested in 2016, has faced a lengthy trial marked by repeated delays, often due to procedural objections or absence of legal representation. Court progress gained momentum after the appointment of DSS Director General Oluwatosin Ajayi, who has pressed for expedited hearings in all terrorism-related matters. Justice Nwite has granted the DSS request for accelerated proceedings, in line with similar rulings in other terrorism cases currently before the court.
Earlier on Friday, Justice Nwite also admitted the extra-judicial statements of three other defendants—Haruna Ali Abbas, Ibrahim Hussaini Musa, and Adam Sulaiman—who are being tried separately for allegedly spying on U.S. and Israeli interests on behalf of individuals in Iran.
The trio’s case, ongoing since 2014 and reassigned multiple times, reached a pivotal stage in August 2025 when the court ordered a trial-within-trial to determine whether their statements were made voluntarily. The defendants alleged coercion, intimidation and physical abuse during DSS interrogation, while the prosecution argued that the statements were freely given, read over, understood, and signed in the presence of cautionary warnings.
Prosecution witnesses testified that the DSS adhered to standard procedures, ensured the suspects’ welfare, and permitted family access. The defendants, however, insisted they were subjected to torture and degrading treatment.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Nwite ruled that the prosecution had successfully demonstrated that the statements were not forced. He admitted the documents as exhibits and adjourned the substantive hearing to January 22, 2026.
For the UN complex bombing case, the court will resume on December 5 to continue reviewing the DSS video evidence, a key step in determining the admissibility of the defendants’ contested statements before the main trial proceeds.
