By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA — The ongoing trial of alleged masterminds
of the October 1, 2010 bomb blast has assumed a
fresh dimension, as a prosecution witness,
yesterday, accused former governor of Bayelsa
State, Timipre Sylva and three other persons, of
complicity.
The witness who made the allegation before a
Federal High Court in Abuja, equally indicted a
former Secretary to the Brass Local Government
Area in Bayelsa State and member of the
Presidential Committee on Amnesty, Mr Victor Ben,
as well as a repentant ex-militant, Ebikabowei a.k.a
Boyloaf.
He made the allegations while testifying as the fourth
prosecution witness in the trial of one of the alleged
perpetrators of the bombing that resulted in the
death of 12 persons while Nigeria celebrated its 50th
Independence Day, Edmund Ebiware.
It would be recalled that Justice Gabriel Kolawole
had on May 3, okayed separate trial for Ebiware,
who was hitherto facing terrorism charges alongside
Charles Okah who is the younger brother to the
embattled ex-leader of the Movement for the
Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Henry Okah,
and the 3rd accused person, Obi Nwabueze.
Ebiware was specifically alleged to have exchanged
incriminating text messages with the erstwhile
Director-General of the Ibrahim Babamasi
Babangida, IBB, Campaign Organisation and
Chairman of Daar Communications, Chief Raymond
Dokpesi, prior to the twin bomb blasts at Eagle
Square, in Abuja.
At his resumed trial, yesterday, the witness who was
masked by the State Security Service, SSS, which
simply identified him as “Mr X”, while under cross
examination, alleged that he informed Sylva about
plans by Henry Okah to carry out the bomb attacks.
His testimony
He said he got wind of the planned attacks from his
friend, one Emmanuel Allison, who was earlier
declared wanted by the SSS, adding that he equally
informed the accused person, Ebiware.
The witness who further told the court that he was
arrested with the accused person on October 3,
2010, under questioning by the prosecuting counsel,
Mr Goddy Uche, confessed that it was he and his
friend, Allison, that carried out the Warri bombings.
He said they had meetings with Henry before the
Independence Day bombings, saying he was
exempted from trial after he volunteered to
cooperate with the SSS in the course of the trial of
the other accused persons who denied complicity in
the crime.
He said: “I knew Edmund through Stanley Ogbakyri. I
knew Okah too and we have each other’s phone
number. And we do talk on phone. I knew with the
looks of things Okah wanted to cause more problems
after amnesty programme, because Okah felt the
programme was no longer going the way it was
originally designed to be.
“As at September 2010, I knew that there would be
a bomb blast in Abuja. I received a phone call from
Emma Harrisson that Henry Okah will bomb Abuja on
October 1, 2010. I called Edmund and told him what
I heard. He did not say anything.
“I reported what Harrison told me to Boyloaf and
Victor Ben. I reported to Sylva, as well as Zion
Amanda who was then serving as the Secretary of
Brass LGA. Amanda is very close to Sylva and I
knew he was also going to tell Sylva too.”
Meanwhile, the court admitted six statements
attached to the proof of evidence made by the
witness into evidence.
Further hearing on the matter was, yesterday,
adjourned till July 19.
Charles, whose elder brother, Henry is equally facing
a similar trial in South Africa, was apprehended by
the SSS on allegation that he and the other accused
persons, conspired with one Emmanuel Allison and
made direct attempt at endangering the life of
President Goodluck Jonathan by seeking to drive two
motor vehicles wired with time-regulated explosive
devices to the Eagle Square where the
Independence celebration was taking place.
They were also said to have between January 2 and
March 15, 2010, within Port-Harcourt Rivers State
and diverse places, conspired with Henry Okah,
Chima Orlu, (at large), and persons unknown and
made direct attempt to endanger the lives of the
Governor of Delta state, Edo state and Imo state by
seeking to drive two motor vehicles wired with time
regulated explosive devices into government house
annex, Warri, Delta State, the venue of the Vanguard
Post Amnesty Dialogue, where the said governors
were in attendance, in order to cause a bomb blast
for the purpose of levying war against the state.
The accused persons were initially arraigned before
the High Court on December 7, 2010 and
subsequently re-arraigned on January 12, 2011.