Police denies bungling terror suspect ‘Ogwuche’ prosecution
(Nigeria) The Nigerian Police on Thursday, denied bungling the prosecution of Nyanya bombing terror suspect ‘ Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche,’ who a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday, struck out the three-count charge of terrorism preferred against him.
Police spokesperson, Mr Emmanuel Ojukwu in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, said "The attention of the Nigeria Police High Command has been
drawn to a most misleading media report that charges filed by the Nigeria
Police at the Federal High Court Abuja, were struck out for lack of diligent
prosecution in respect of the suspected terrorist Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche.
“It will be
recalled that the Department of State Security, DSS, that had intelligence on
the Nyanya bombing and was investigating it, made a formal request to the
Nigeria Police to assist in extraditing one Aminu Ogwuche to Nigeria from
Sudan, through the Interpol channel of which the Nigeria Police is well versed.
“It was at this stage and for this reason that the Nigeria
Police Force filed charges against the suspected fugitive Aminu Ogwuche, based
on information that he fled to Sudan .
“The filing of charges against the suspect is a legal
procedure to enable the Nigeria Police formally request the Sudanese
authorities to grant Nigeria ’s
extradition request in respect of the suspected fugitive.
“For the records, copy of filed charge(s) against a fugitive
must be appended to documents in support of extradition request made to the
host country, which in this case, is Sudan . These facts were made known
to the court when it insisted on the production of the accused even before his
extradition to Nigeria .
“Following Ogwuche’s extradition which the Nigeria Police
accomplished successfully, the DSS, obtained a Court Order to remand the
suspect for an initial period of three months in line with the Prevention of
Terrorism Act and also liaised with the Office of the Attorney-General of the
Federation to undertake his prosecution.
“For the record, at no time did the Nigeria Police arraign
the suspect in court for terrorism related offences. Moreover, the purported
prosecution/arraignment by the Police could not have happened as the Police
could not prosecute a suspect it never arrested, never investigated nor had in
its custody.
“It is therefore, grossly erroneous, mischievous and
malicious to impute lack of diligent prosecution to the Police. The Nigeria
Police Force is manifestly and positively committed to the will of Nigerians to
rid the nation of violent crimes like terrorism. Many of our officers have paid
the supreme sacrifice on account of this.
“The Police while respecting the rights of the media to
publish, however appeals that due diligent check be observed to ensure that
misleading information is not disseminated to the reading public,” the
statement added.
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