The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the detention of six individuals in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) after they were brought before the court on a 13-count charge related to alleged terrorism.
The session, which began around 1:46 p.m., saw the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), inform the court that the charges were ready and request that they be read to the defendants.
Proceedings hit a brief pause when the third defendant revealed his lawyer was unavailable, while counsel to the sixth defendant noted that his client only understands Arabic and Hausa, prompting the need for an interpreter. The court temporarily stood down the matter to resolve the issues.
When the hearing resumed at about 2:18 p.m., all six defendants entered their pleas, denying the allegations and pleading not guilty to the charges.
Following this, the prosecution asked the court to remand the defendants in DSS custody and requested an expedited trial. While most defence lawyers did not oppose the request, counsel to the first defendant indicated plans to file a bail application.
In his ruling, the trial judge granted an accelerated hearing, ordered that the defendants remain in DSS custody with access to their legal representatives, and adjourned the case until April 27, 2026, when trial is set to begin.
Further updates are expected as the case unfolds.