January 10, 2025
By Ayinde Adeleke
A Federal High Court in Abuja has authorized the Department of State Services (DSS) to detain 10 individuals suspected of planning to establish a Boko Haram cell in Osun State for 60 days.
This decision was made by Justice Emeka Nwite, who granted the DSS’s ex-parte application to detain the suspects while they complete their investigation.
The suspects, arrested on December 16, 2024, in Ilesa East Local Government Area of Osun, are alleged members of Boko Haram/ISWAP.
According to the DSS, they were undergoing training on how to manufacture and detonate improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The agency stated, “Intelligence at the disposal of the applicant revealed that the respondents were planning to launch a Boko Haram/ISWAP cell in Osun State.”
The DSS also informed the court that the suspects fled from Sambisa Forest following sustained military operations against terrorist factions. Releasing them would undermine efforts to apprehend other members of the group, the agency argued.
In a related development, the court permitted the DSS to detain two additional suspects, Ayomide Akintunde and Nurudeen Adesiyan, for 60 days.
They are linked to a Moroccan terrorist currently in Spanish custody, who had communicated with them regarding jihadist publications and acquiring firearms for planned attacks in Nigeria.
The DSS emphasized that releasing the suspects would jeopardize national security, as the ongoing investigation has expanded in scope.
Justice Nwite granted the application and adjourned the case until March 3 for further mention.
