Nigeria charge three Lebanese for terrorism

The three Lebanese being held for alleged terrorism were arraigned yesterday on a six-count charge before the Federal High Court, Abuja.


Mustapha Fawaz (49), Abdullahi Thahini (48) and Tahal Roda (51) were arraigned with two of their companies – Amigo Supermarket Limited and Wonderland Amusement Park Resort – before Justice Adeniyi Ademola.

The three men were in counts one and two charged with belonging to Hezbollah military wing and knowingly agreed to receive training in preparation to engage in the commission of a terrorist act.

In count three, Fawaz and Fuazi Fawaz (now at large), owners of Amigo Supermarket, Abuja, were alleged to have “knowingly permitted a meeting connected with an act of terrorism” to be held on the premises of the supermarket.

In count four, Thahini, accused of “being the coordinator of Hezbollah in Nigeria”, was charged with involving himself “in an arrangement to facilitate the acquisition of terrorist funds by removal out of jurisdiction, the sum of $61,000”.

Fawaz, Thahini, Roda and Fauzi (now at large) were, in count five, accused of withholding from law enforcement agents information that would have assisted in the arrest of another suspect.

The three, their two companies and the fleeing Fawaz were, in count six, accused of “directly rendering support to a terrorist group” by allegedly providing their premises in Abuja and Kano for terrorist activities.

Their alleged offences are said to be punishable under Sections 5(1), 7(c), 8(1), 12(a), 13(2) and 16(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act 2013.

The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Their lawyer, Ahmed Raji (SAN), told the court that he had filed two applications for his clients. They include a motion for bail, pending trial and another challenging the competence of the charge.

The lead prosecution lawyer, Simon Egede (the Acting Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation) prayed the court for time to enable the state respond to the applications served on him yesterday.

Upon the request by both parties, particularly Raji, who urged the court not to remand his clients in prison but to return them to the custody of the State Security Service (SSS), Justice Ademola ordered the accused remanded in SSS custody.

The judge also directed parties to file and serve all processes before the next date. He adjourned the matter till July 8.

The Federal Government has freed the fourth of the Lebanese held over the Kano arms discovery