Mohammed Bashir Saleh, one of the suspects standing trial for alleged terrorism, told the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday how he joined the Ansaru terrorist group led by Khalid Al-Barnawi.
Saleh, in a video recording played in court. said he joined the terror organisation in Bauchi shortly before the August 2011 attack on the United Nations Building in Abuja.
The UN building was bombed by terrorists on August 26, 2011, with over 20 persons killed and several others injured in the attack.
Mohammed Usman, also known as Al-Barnawi, along with other suspected members of his group, were alleged to have carried out the attack.
Al-Barnawi, the alleged leader of Boko Haram splinter group, Ansaru, and Mohammed Bashir Saleh; Umar Mohammed Bello, a.k.a Datti; Mohammmed Salisu and Yakubu Nuhu, a.k.a Bello Maishayi, were later arraigned by the Department of State Services (DSS) for being members of Ansaru, also known as Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan.
The defendants are also alleged to have conspired among themselves to carry out acts of terrorism between 2011 and 2013 in Sokoto, Kebbi, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe and other states in the northern part of the country.
At the resumed trial-within-trial on Wednesday, Saleh told the court that during the time he joined the group, he had a solid relationship with the members.
After the video was played in court, the defence counsel cross-examined the 3rd prosecution witness (PW-3), simply identified as “TSR-3.”
Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the case till March 2 for PW-3 cross-examination.
Al- Barnawi was arrested by DSS in April 2016 in Lokoja, Kogi, five years after the attack on the UN building.
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