Three Nigerians working for Iranian handlers as spy arrested, as DSS tenders evidence

Three Nigerians working for Iranian handlers as spy arrested, as DSS tenders evidence

The Department of State Services (DSS) has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to admit into evidence statements made by three Nigerians accused of working with Iranian handlers to gather intelligence on American and Israeli interests in Nigeria.

The defendants — Haruna Ali Abbas, Ibrahim Hussaini Musa and Adam Suleiman — were arrested in Kano and Lagos in 2013 and are currently standing trial on terrorism-related charges.

During Wednesday’s proceedings, the court heard arguments on the admissibility of their extra-judicial statements. The accused men had objected, alleging that the DSS obtained their confessions under duress. This prompted Justice Emeka Nwite to conduct a trial-within-a-trial to determine the credibility of the statements.

Prosecuting counsel, Bello Abu, maintained that the defendants’ statements were given voluntarily and described the claims of coercion as “an afterthought.” He urged the court to admit the evidence and allow the substantive trial to proceed.

However, defence lawyers Aliyu Yawuri, Bala Dakun and Bello Ibrahim argued that their clients’ rights were violated and insisted the statements should be excluded from the case.

In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/129/2014, Abbas is accused of recruiting young Nigerians, including Musa and Suleiman, for terrorist training in Iran. He allegedly transmitted intelligence on U.S. and Israeli targets in Lagos, including the U.S. Consulate, to a contact in Iran via encrypted communication channels.

Musa and Suleiman are also accused of conspiring to obtain Nigerian passports and Iranian visas for terrorist training, as well as conducting surveillance on U.S. and Israeli embassies in Abuja, Kano and Lagos in preparation for possible attacks.

Justice Nwite reserved his ruling on the admissibility of the statements to a date that will be communicated to the parties.