Abuja: The Department of State Services (DSS) on Friday arraigned Abdulazeez Obadaki, the suspected mastermind of the terror attacks on Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, leading to his escape, as well as other detainees who were in lawful custody in July 2022.
Obadaki, who was also alleged to have masterminded attacks on four commercial banks in Edo, was arraigned on Thursday before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on a six-count charge bordering on alleged terrorism offences.
Obadaki, popularly called Bomboy, was alleged to be a member of the Ansaru terrorist group.
In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/629/2025, the defendant was said to have joined the terror group through “one Abu Muhsab” in count one.
The offence is contrary to Section 16(1) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013.
Count two alleged that Obadaki, 42, committed the offence, where he had information he knew to be of material assistance in securing the apprehension of Abu Muhsab, a terrorist, and failed to disclose the information to any relevant security agency.
The offence is contrary to Section 8 (1) (b) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013.
In count three, he was alleged to have, sometime around Feb. 23, 2022, rendered support to a terrorist group by encouraging and assuring Abu Muhsab and his gang to engage in acts of terrorism, culminating in attacks on four branches of commercial banks in Edo.
The banks include First Bank, United Bank for Africa, Union Bank and Zenith Bank, all located along Market road, Uromi, Esan North-East LGA in Edo and after which the sum of N300,000.00 was sent to him as his share of the proceeds of the attack via his Guaranty Trust Bank account number: 0265399669.
The offence is said to be contrary to Section 5 (1) (a) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013.
Count five accused the defendant of conspiring with Abu Muhsab and other members of his gang (now at large), sometimes in July 2022, to attack the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, leading to his escape as well as other detainees who were held in lawful custody at the facility, thereby violating Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act.
In count six, Obadaki was alleged to have, on or about July 5, 2022, escaped from Nigeria’s Custodial Centre, Kuje, where he was held in lawful custody facing terrorism charges.
The offence is said to be contrary to Section 135 of the Criminal Code Act.
Obadaki pleaded guilty to count six, which is escape from lawful custody; however, he pleaded not guilty to the other five counts when they were read out to him.
Following Obadaki’s plea, Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter until Jan. 26, 2026, to enable the court to review the facts relating to the count to which he pleaded guilty and to hear those to which he pleaded not guilty.
The court ordered that the suspect be remanded in the custody of the DSS until the next adjourned date.
It would be recalled that after the attack on Deeper Life Bible Church, Okene in Kogi in 2012, Obadaki was believed to have later led a gang that raided the five commercial banks in Edo, killing several persons, and carted away huge sums of cash.
He was, however, trailed and arrested by security forces and remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, but escaped shortly during the July 2022 jailbreak at the correctional centre.