Justice Ekerete Akpan of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of 109 foreigners linked to activities threatening national security, high-level cybercrimes and hacking.
They will remain in Kuje and Suleja correctional facilities till the next adjourned date.
Justice Akpan made the order following the request by the counsel to the defendants on the ground that the police facility where they were being kept wasn’t conducive for the number of suspects.
Their arraignment could not go on due to issues of misrepresentation of names of the suspects on the charge sheet and issues of counsel representation.
Counsel to some of the defendants, Ogwu Onoja, told the court that there was need to have interpreters who would be present in court during proceedings for the sake of those who do not understand English.
After listening to the submission of the lawyers in the case, the trial judge adjourned the case to November 29 for arraignment.
The suspects were arrested on November 3, 2024 after a strategic operation was conducted through a coordinated raid at Jahi area in Abuja where they were allegedly using computers and other sophisticated devices to facilitate criminal activities.
Credit: Leadership