The suspected Boko Haram members, who were set free, the court held, are to be sent to their various state governments for proper rehabilitation.
Comrade Salihu Othman Isah, Special Adviser to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) said in a statement yesterday that the suspects were arrested at different states and detained at Wawa Cantonment, Kainji, Niger State.
He disclosed that their detention was based on information that they belong to the Boko Haram or that they concealed information about the group which they knew or believe to be of material assistance in preventing the commission of an act of terrorism or securing the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of members of Boko Haram sect.
The suspects could not be charged with any offence due to lack of sufficient evidence against them and they were consequently released on motion exparte, n accordance with section 35 (4) of the Constitution.
The court also directed states to provide for the released persons, rehabilitation at any appropriate centre before being released to their families.
Those suspects who are mentally deranged or have health challenges, the AGF spokesman said, will be provided medical attention at any appropriate medical or other mental health facilities and added also that, states will also provide appropriate training for the released suspects.
Among the list of the group released was a pathetic case of a female suspect, Lubabatu Yakubu who was arrested in 2014 by the officials of the Department of Security Services (DSS) in Numan town, Adamawa state, two days after marriage and divorced by her Boko Haram husband.
Lubabatu was accused of her affiliation with Boko Haram husband.
Another suspect, a young mother cuddling her three months old baby, Mariam Mohammed, a Shua Arab from Borno State was released. She was lured into the Boko Haram sect and taken to Sambisa forest by her elder brother and married off to his friend at eleven years old.
She was arrested by soldiers of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in 2014 while trying to escape the Boko Haram enclave in the Sambisa Forest.
Taye Hamza and Kehinde Hamza are both identical twins from Oyo State based in Bauchi State. They were amongst the lucky ones released.
The twins who are mechanic by profession were arrested in 2010 by the DSS at their workshop in Bauchi State for servicing a vehicle belonging to the dreaded Boko Haram member.
A 35-year-old, Haruna Yahaya who was earlier sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for participating in the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State on Monday, was on Friday handed down an additional 15 years jail term.
The court sentenced him to additional 15 years imprisonment for being a mastermind of the said abduction.
The presiding judge ordered that the Monday’s and Friday’s sentences imposed on Yahaya, who hails from Potiskum in Yobe State, would run consecutively.
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