Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche, the alleged mastermind behind the April 14, 2014 Nyanya Motor Park bombing in Abuja that claimed 75 lives, has formally protested the 11-year delay in his terrorism trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Ogwuche, through his counsel Abdusalam Abas, informed Justice Peter Lifu that the federal government has effectively abandoned his trial after approximately 97 adjournments on what he described as "flimsy excuses" from the prosecution. The defendant has appealed to the court to strike out the 7-count charges against him for lack of diligent prosecution.

The defendant's protest was triggered when prosecutors submitted a letter seeking yet another adjournment, claiming they needed to attend to other matters. Ogwuche reminded the court of Justice Lifu's July 1, 2024 ruling, which threatened to dismiss the charges if prosecutors failed to appear in court.

Other defendants in the case joined Ogwuche's protest through their respective lawyers, urging Justice Lifu to invoke Section 351 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) to strike out the charges.

In his ruling, Justice Lifu expressed strong displeasure with the Federal Ministry of Justice's apparent lack of interest in proceeding with the trial. He noted that the charges have been pending since December 12, 2014, describing the situation as "absurd in light of our much cherished principles of presumption of innocence, fundamental liberty and human rights jurisprudence."

"Considering the nature of the charges, I bend backward to accommodate the prosecution for the very last time to enable him to present his witnesses, else, the court shall do the needful," Justice Lifu stated.

The judge has given the federal government until June 18 and 19, 2025, to call its witnesses, warning that failure to do so would result in the charges being struck out. Additionally, he ordered the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to allow counsel, parents, blood relations, and approved friends to access the defendants to help them prepare their defense.

This case has already seen two previous judges—Adeniyi Ademola and Ahmed Ramat Mohammed—unsuccessfully attempt to handle the trial. On November 24, 2014, Justice Ademola struck out an earlier 2-count charge against Ogwuche for lack of diligent prosecution by the Inspector General of Police.

Ogwuche, who was 29 years old at the time of the alleged offense, faces charges including conspiracy, engaging in terrorism, membership in the outlawed Boko Haram group, and failure to disclose information that could have prevented a terrorist act.

Co-defendants in the case include Akhmad Rufai Abubakar (aka Abu Ibrahim/Maitirare), Mohammed Sani Ishaq, Ya'u Saidu (aka Kofar Rama), Anas Isah, Adamu Yusuf, and Nasiru Abubakar.

Ogwuche, a native of Benue State, was repatriated from Sudan on July 15, 2014, to face charges related to the bombing that killed over 75 people and injured 124 others in the Abuja suburb.