The federal government has asked a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to conduct a secret trial for Senator Aliyu Ndume, who is standing trial for terrorism charges. Ndume, a senator from Borno State is standing trial before Justice Gabriel Kolawole for failing to inform law enforcement agencies of the activities
of the outlawed Boko Haram sect

Billyonaire:
Witness Protection is fundamental right. APC is powered by illiteracy.

MissMeiya:
After reading some of these comments, I have to say:

READ THE ARTICLE.

FG (Prosecution) wants a secret trial.

Ndume (Defense) wants an open trial.


One would assume that a secret trial would have a higher chance of conviction.

omenka:
SECRET!!!

What party is the Senator again

ANPP politician
Ndume was elected to represent Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency in April 2003 and was reelected in April 2007, on the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) platform.[1] He was appointed Minority Leader in the House of Representatives.[2]

In an August 2010 interview, Ndume said "the PDP in the last 11 years has vandalized Nigeria; they have only introduced kidnapping, assassination, militancy, armed robbery, power degeneration and widespread religious crisis". In a September interview he praised the record of the ANPP in Borno State, building roads and hospitals. He said "The PDP government has been holding the Federal Government for 11 years now and they have done nothing, except cause chaos in Nigeria".

PDP politician
In December 2010 Ndume decamped to the PDP, citing the injustices going on in the party as his reason for leaving the ANPP. He said the people from the grassroots of Southern Borno were solidly behind him.[5] He said that he was not being given a level playing ground in the competition with other ANPP aspirants for candidature in the Senate election. Apparently he had fallen out with Governor Ali Modu Sheriff.[6] Ndume's defection to the PDP was seen as a major blow to the ANPP. He was said to have been the major financer of ANPP in the Borno-South senatorial zone, and was considered one of the most dynamic of the lawmakers from the northeast zone.[7]

Following Ndume's defection, the PDP re-opened the sale of nomination forms. Alhaji Sanda Garba, who had been the only aspirant for the South Borno Senate seat, stepped down to make way for Ndume as the PDP candidate.[7] In the election, Ndume won 146,403 votes, ahead of Dr. Asaba Vilita Bashir of the ANPP with 133,734 votes and Alhaji Unaru Ibrahim of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) with 20,414 votes.[8]

Alleged links to terrorism
Ndume was appointed to a committee established by President Goodluck Jonathan to consider opening talks with Boko Haram. He said that a military approach would not be effective due to the impossibility of identifying the target. In his view the violence would continue until the group felt they had been heard and saw that the problems of poverty and unemployment were being addressed.[9] In November 2011, Senator Ndume was reported to be linked to Boko Haram. This alleged connection to Boko Haram was made following the Nigerian State Security Service's interrogation of a suspected Boko Haram member and spokesman, Mallam Ali Konduga. On 21 November 2011 Leadership (Abuja) reported that Ndume had been arrested.

More from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammed_Ali_Ndume

Dapo2050:
The openness of judicial proceedings is a fundamental principle enshrined in Article 6(1) of the European Convention on Human Rights (the right to a fair trial). This underpins the requirement for a prosecution witness to be identifiable not only to the defendant, but also to the open court. It supports the ability of the defendant to present his case and to test the prosecution case by cross-examination of prosecution witnesses. In some cases it may also encourage other witnesses to come forward.
The principle of open justice can sometimes act as a bar to successful prosecutions, particularly in homicides, organised crime and gun crime. Witnesses may fear that if their identity is revealed to the defendant, his associates or the public genernally then they or their friends and family will be at risk of serious harm.

drnoel:


I agree but want to add. Nigeria need a good man who has balls. Not a deceptive good man in question like Fashola but a plain unadulterated goodman like Oshiomhole.

freshdude2:
I agree with your comment except the part in bold. There's nothing good about a weakling, and not only is he weak, he's selfish to boot. He's like a man who's scared of calling his girlfriend to order when she squanders his children's school fees. What's good about that kind of person?

Akbee:
this is long overdue na!mr ndume shud be sent to the darkest corner in kirikiri..he has betrayed his country n his people.however he shud be given a fair trial n not one coloured by the political interests of the **ogas at the top**the rule of the law must be aplied here..

saintandsinnerz:


Why are you people always wont to blame and criticize every time? Who told you that secret trials are not carried out on some categories of criminals all over the world? UK, U.S, and other advance countries use secret trials especially when the open trial of a person is considered a threat to national security etc. Secret trials are not meant to witch hunt the accused if that is what you are implying by your criticism, but to protect the witnesses and above all for national security.

30pence:


And if u were to be a witness in such case, will u do so if it were to be made open?
Remember u nt dealing with only Ndume, u also dealing with the terrorists and d witnesses, who's life and that of their family is at risk.

If u make it partly secrete, some pple will now know wen to hunt down the suspected witnesses. Dont forget some journalsists are boko sympathisers!

MissMeiya:
After reading some of these comments, I have to say:

READ THE ARTICLE.

FG (Prosecution) wants a secret trial.

Ndume (Defense) wants an open trial.


One would assume that a secret trial would have a higher chance of conviction.

NairaMode:


I agree with you on that.
You will also agree with me that you are not perfect. No one is.
That is why I believe if we have a leader who is action oriented yet weak in other areas, he will do.
I do not want to be hopeful of a perfect leader except by divine arrangement that is if you believe in such.

freshdude2:
Yeah, you're almost right except Jonathan has sacrificed us for his comfort. He's thrown us under the bus.

ratiken:

Would you testify openely against Bokoharam if you were in a position of a witness?

NairaMode:


On the contrary, who would you vote for in 2015 as president? Considering those presently running for the post.

Regardless of the party, who do you think will steer the presidents seat properly? Considering the crop of politicians we currently have in Nigeria.

Two different questions.

NairaMode:


I will like to agree with you.
Thanks for the decorum in your response.
It is well received.

Just wondering if there is really anything secret after all if at the end of the day he is being sent to jail.
Wouldn't we (Nigerians) know he is in jail when we don't see him in public places.

omenka:
SECRET!!!

What party is the Senator again

Samgreguc:

am talking of the trials.

hercules07:
We should not accept secret trials, the judge should rule against this, the simple reason is because it sets a precedent, soon, all trials will be secret and the counsels will always quote the precedent set in Ndume's case, apparently Nigerians do not know the danger of this request, any case against the government will now be in secret, opposition members being charged to court will be in secret, take government to court on any charge and you are tried in secret, is that the democracy we want?

ratiken:

Witnesses are invited during trials, would you show up?

Akainzo:


Your failed brain does not distinguish between a "Secret Trial " and "Witness Protection". They are fundamentally 2 different ideas though it might sound to you like similar buzz words.