Independence bombing: Court reserves Nov. 12 for addresses

Abuja – The Federal High Court on Wednesday in Abuja fixed Nov. 12 for the adoption of addresses in the trial of Edmund Ebuware over the Oct 1, 2010 bombing in Abuja.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole gave the date after both parties had closed their evidence.

The court had on May 3 removed Ebuware from the list of suspects charged with the Independence Day bombing.

The accused person had asked the court for an independent trial.

The others charged with the bombing are Charles Okah and Obi Nwabueze.

The fourth accused person, Tiemkemfa Osuvwo, died in Kuje Prison on March 2.

At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, the prosecution counsel, Dr Alex Izinyon (SAN), summoned Mr Timi Alaibe, an ex-Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Niger Delta, to the witness box.

Alaibe said that he got acquainted with Ebuware while performing his task as the SA to the President on Niger Delta.

He testified that Ebuware was a link between a militant camp located in Ogbetegbe in Delta and the Amnesty programme.

Alaibe submitted that Ebuware assisted in the disarming of the militant group based in Ogbetegbe.

The witness said that the accused person did not inform him (Alaibe) of any planned bombing in Abuja, adding that

Ebuware had told him about a threat-to-life text message sent to him by Henry Okah.

Alaibe further submitted that he had at a point cautioned the accused because of his extreme political views in Bayelsa and Abuja.

The witness explained that he particularly warned the accused person on his position on the zoning of the Presidency.

“My interview to the press on Oct. 2 after the blast accusing MEND for the act, was not purely based on my knowledge and interface with the militants and not based on what anybody told me’’ Alaibe said.

In his defence, Ebuware said that he had never been a militant.

Led in evidence by his counsel, Mr Goody Uche, Ebuware submitted that his desire for peace to return to the Niger Delta made him to act as an intermediary between militants and the Amnesty Programme Office.

Ebuware said that he facilitated the disarming of many militants through persuasion.

“I had called Henry Okah to inquire why he was not attending peace meetings organised by the Amnesty Office and that was the beginning of my interaction with him.

“He had told me that he was not happy with the Federal Government and the way they were handling the programme.

“Okah was suspicious of my boldness and had accused me of being a government informant; it was from that point that he started sending me threat messages.

“I do not know him; we have never met face-to-face, but from my interaction with other militants in the creeks, I know my life was in danger and I reported the matter to the SSS.

“I could not report the information on the planned Independence bombing because I did not have it,’’ he said. (NAN)