Boko Haram trial: Journalists sent out of courtroom by DSS

Some newsmen who were at the Lagos Federal High Court, Thursday, to cover the trial of 17 alleged members of Boko Haram were humiliated and sent out by men of the Department of State Services, DSS, that escorted the accused persons to the court.

Reporters were forced out of the courtroom by heavily armed security operatives. One of them even threatened to arrest them if they fail to obey.

A senior DSS officer however disclosed that, the directive to keep newsmen away from the arraignment of the suspected Boko Haram members was from the Presidency.

It was observed that when the Boko Haram case was called, some lawyers were also ordered to leave the court. This, it was gathered, was due to the small size of the courtroom.

However, the arraignment of the suspected Boko Haram members, which had suffered two adjournments on October 2 and 9, due to absence of an interpreter and a trial judge respectively, could not go on yesterday as well.

This was because the first to fifth accused persons, namely; Ali Mohammed, Adamu Karumi, Ibrahim Usman, Bala Haruna, Idris Ali did not have legal representation.

Presiding judge, Musa Kurya, adjourned the matter till November 27, for the arraignment of the accused persons.