One of the suspects being prosecuted by the Department of State Services, DSS, alongside Khalid Al-Barnawi and three others, over the 26th of August, 2011 bombing of the United Nations building in Abuja, has provided details to a Federal High Court on how he became involved with the terror group.
At the resumed trial on Wednesday, the 21st of January, 2026, the second defendant, Mohammed Bashir Saleh, in a video recording presented in court, stated that he joined Al-Barnawi in Bauchi shortly before the UN building attack, adding that their association deepened from that point onward.
Al-Barnawi, a notorious terrorist leader, was apprehended by the DSS in April 2016 in Lokoja, Kogi State, five years after the Abuja UN bombing.
This was the first attack targeting an international agency in Nigeria, leaving over 20 dead and more than 70 injured.
Al-Barnawi, also known by aliases including Kafuri, Naziru, Alhaji Yahaya, Mallam Dauda, and Alhaji Tanimu, is being prosecuted alongside Mohammed Bashir Saleh, Umar Mohammed Bello (aka Datti), Mohammed Salisu, and Yakubu Nuhu (aka Bello Maishayi).
During Wednesday’s court proceedings, another video of Saleh’s interview session was presented, and the court began cross-examining the third prosecution witness in a trial-within-trial aimed at determining the voluntariness of the defendants’ confessional statements.
Under cross-examination by FK Kaigama, counsel for the first defendant (Al-Barnawi), the witness, identified as “TSR3,” stated that he works in the Technical Department of the DSS, where his responsibilities include setting up audio/video recording equipment in the interview room and recording suspects during interviews.
READ ALSO: DSS Arrests Suspected Mastermind Behind Murder of Renowned Neurology Professor
Regarding his other duties, the witness said, “In addition to the stated functions, I also undertake computer forensic examinations, mobile phones forensic examination, crime scene investigation, like fingerprint collection from the crime scene and analysis at the laboratory.”
He explained that, in relation to the first defendant, he not only set up the forensic audio/video recording equipment but also performed the audio/video recording of the first defendant’s interview in real time. He added that he also handled the audio/visual recording of the statement-taking session and the translation of the statement.
When asked if there is a person named James in the Technical Department, the witness confirmed there are several James working there.
At that stage, Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the proceedings due to other engagements. With the consent of the lawyers for all parties, Justice Nwite rescheduled the continuation of the cross-examination of PW3 in the trial-within-trial to the 2nd of March, 2026.