A witness, simply identified as “ABC,” on Friday, told the Federal High Court in Abuja how the notorious bandit kingpin, Kachalla Halilu, purchased a gun truck 🚒 from Niger Republic to perpetrate terrorist acts in Nigeria.
ABC, the first prosecution witness (PW-1) in the ongoing trial of four suspects also linked to fleeing bandit leader Bello Turji, made the revelation while being led in evidence by the Federal Government’s lawyer, David Kaswe, before Justice Emeka Nwite.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the four suspected terrorists were, on Dec. 23, 2024, arraigned on an 11-count charge bordering on terrorism by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
The suspects, Musa Kamarawa, Abubakar Hashimu, a.k.a. Doctor, Samuel Chinedu and Lucky Chukwuma, however, pleaded not guilty to the counts, and the judge ordered their remand in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of their bail plea.
NAN reports that Justice Nwite rejected their bail applications and ordered an accelerated hearing of their trial.
Besides, the judge granted an ex-parte motion moved by Kaswe, seeking the protection of the witnesses and identifying them with pseudonyms.
The Federal Government, through the office of the AGF, had filed the 11-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/633/2024 against the eight defendants, four of whom were at large.
In the charge filed on Dec. 16, 2024, by M.B. Abubakar, Director, Department of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Musa Muhammad Kamarawa; Abubakar Hashimu, a.k.a. Doctor; Samuel Chinedu and Lucky Chukwuma were sued as 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th defendants.
Bashir Abdullahi, Bello Turji, Aminu Muhammad and Sani Lawal, who were all at large, were sued as the third, sixth, seventh and eighth defendants, respectively.
In count one, Musa Kamarawa; Abubakar Hashimu, aka Doctor; Bashir Abdullahi; Samuel Chinedu; Lucky Chukwuma; Bello Turji (at large); Aminu Muhammad (at large) and Sani Lawal (at large), sometime between 2018 and 2022 in Sokoto State, were alleged to have conspired among themselves to commit the terror act.
They were alleged to have provided material services to terrorist groups led by Turji, Kachalla Halilu, Danbokolo, Lawali, Atarwatse, Buderi and others by procuring and supplying illicit drugs, including penta injections and cannabis plants (aka Indian hemp); food items; military and police uniforms, camouflage.
They were also alleged to have supplied boots, caps and building materials, including bags of cement, cover zinc, bags of nails, M.M. iron rods, etc., to terrorist camps in the forests located in Zamfara, Sokoto and Kaduna States.
The offence was said to be contrary to Section 17 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act 2013 and punishable under the same section of the Act.
In count four, Kamarawa, Muhammad (at large) and Lawal (at large), sometime in 2021 in Sokoto State, allegedly aided and abetted the commission of acts of terrorism by acquiring a military gun truck from Libya and supplying same to a terrorist, Kachalla Halilu, at a cost of approximately N28.5 million (28,500,000).
They were alleged to have paid for the gun truck partly in cash and partly via electronic transfer.
The Federal Government said the offence was contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act 2013 and punishable under the same section of the Act.
The prosecution also said the offence was contrary to Section 8 (1) (b) of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act 2013 and punishable under the same section of the Act.
Giving his testimony on Friday in Hausa Language, PW-1 said out of the four suspects in the dock, he only knew Musa Kamarawa, whom he called his childhood friend.
“Sometimes, between 2021 and 2022, Musa is my childhood friend. He called me on the phone and told me that he wanted me to accompany him to Kano for the wedding fathia (ceremony) of the daughter of the DSS Director of Sokoto Command.
“I prepared myself on Friday, and I met him at his house. When I went to his house, I met him with one of his friends, Sani Lawal Jibia (8th defendant).
“Musa told me that we are going together with Sani. We used Musa’s Honda Accord 2018 Model car. Sani Jibia was the one who drove us to Isa Local Government in Sokoto State.
“We went to the local government chairman’s house, and we met him in his house.
“Musa and the local government chairman excused themselves. I didn’t know what they were discussing.
“When they finished their discussion, Musa brought the key to the Hilux car.
“He told us that we were going with the Hilux and leaving his car in the chairman’s house. We left around 4 pm to Katsina State.
“When we arrived in Katsina the same day, we proceeded to Kano.
“We arrived in Kano in the night and we started looking for hotel,” he said.
The witness said he and Sani Jibia lodged in the same hotel while Musa went and rented an expensive hotel in Kano.
“We slept in the hotel and left there around 11:30 in the morning and went to the venue of the wedding fathia.
“After the wedding, we left the place around 12 noon. We proceeded to the wedding reception,” he said.
He said they left for Sokoto State after the wedding but had a stopover in Katsina.
“When we arrived in Katsina, we decided to sleep there because we could not make it to Sokoto that very day.
“In the morning, around 10 am, we started our journey to Sokoto.
“We followed the road to Jibia, Zurmi, and Kaura Namoda Local Government.
“When we went to Kaura Namoda town, Musa told us that he wanted to go and bring something.
“We went to their house; I, Musa and Sani Lawal. We greeted his in-laws. From Kaura Namoda, we started our journey to Shinkarfi Local Government Area.
“On our way to Shinkarfi Local Government, Musa started calling unknown persons.
“He told us that he was talking with Kachalla Halilu. He said he wants to go and receive message from Kachalla Halilu,” he said
The PW-1 said they stopped and prayed when they got to Shinkarfi Local Government.
“We stopped at one Alhaji Lawali Shop. We prayed there and drank water, then we started our journey again,” he added.
He said after Shinkarfi, they got to a village called Galadi, where they met a military checkpoint.
“Musa told Sani to stop at the checkpoint because Sani was the one that drove the car,” he said.
He said after they left the checkpoint, Musa called Kachalla Halilu and asked him where to stop.
He said Kachalla told Musa they should pull up where they normally stop.
“When we arrived at the place, Musa told Sani to stop since he was driving.
“We were there when, for some time, Kachalla came out of the forest with his boys.
“We were there less than 100 metres and Kachalla called Musa that he has arrived. Musa went and met him but I didn’t know what they discussed.”
According to him, after they finished their discussion, Musa returned with money in black leather.
“Kachalla and his boys were well armed with guns and blindfolded themselves (they covered their faces) and went back to the forest.
“But Kachalla was the only person that did not cover his face.
“After that, we turned back to the military checkpoint. Musa stopped there and gave some money to the military men.
“From there, we started our journey to Sokoto,” he said.
