Twelve years after a terrorists bombing at the Nyanya Motor Park, Abuja in 2014, justice has been served on one of the perpetrators of the crime.
This is as the Federal High Court in Abuja found a 37-year-old man, Zakaria Garba, guilty of participating in the bombing that left at least 70 people dead, and several others with varying degrees of injuries.
The court on Friday, sentenced him to death by hanging over his involvement in the act.
Justice James Omotsoho, in a judgment delivered in the just-concluded Abuja mass trial of suspected terrorists, also handed down a life imprisonment for Garba in another count of the five-count charge.
Justice Omotosho convicted the defendant after he pleaded guilty to the five counts preferred against him by the Federal Government.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the judgement was delivered on Tuesday in the charge number: FHC/KNJ/CR/985/2026, filed by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice.
The judge sentenced Garba to a 35-year jail term in counts one and two, a life imprisonment in count three, and a death sentence in counts four and five.
“May God have mercy on you,” the judge said.
In count three, which attracted a life imprisonment, Garba of Jambutu Park, Jimeta Local Government Area of Adamawa, and others now at large, were alleged to have, sometime in 2014, while at the Nyanya Motor Park, FCT Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the court, committed the offence.
They were said to have knowingly conspired among themselves “to commit acts of terrorism by planning and coordinating the bombing of Nyanya Motor Park, Abuja, through the use of explosive devices, which bombing resulted in the death of over 70 persons and injured several others.”
The offence is punishable under Section 17 of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013 and punishable under the same Section of the Act.
In count four, which also attracted capital punishment, the terrorist, who stated in his confessional statement that he used to sell tea and bread, with others now at large, was said to have, sometime in 2014, while at the Nyanya Motor Park, FCT Abuja, committed the offence.
They were said to have “knowingly and intentionally caused the detonation of explosive devices at Nyanya Motor Park with intent to cause death and serious bodily harm to members of the public, which act resulted in over 70 (Seventy) persons’ death and injuries to several others.”
The offence is punishable under Section 1(3) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013.
Also in count five, which attracted the death penalty, the convict and others now at large were said to have, sometime in 2014 while at the Nyanya Motor Park, FCT Abuja, “participated in an act of terrorism which caused the death of over 70 (Seventy) persons by detonating explosives.”
According to the charge, “you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(3) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013″.
Reacting, the AGF, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who led the Federal Government’s team of lawyers for the prosecution, said the government was determined to stamp out terrorism and its related activities from the country.
”We will fight with every inch of our blood to ensure that we make Nigeria a safe haven for everybody”.
(Ripples)
