The Department of State Services has told a Federal High Court in Abuja how its operatives tracked and arrested a man accused of sending threatening messages to top schools in the Federal Capital Territory.
While testifying before the court on Friday, DSS operative Michael Jego said the agency received petitions in 2024 from three schools in Abuja over text messages threatening to attack the schools, kill students and teachers, and destroy property.
According to the witness, the suspect, identified as John Jude Agbo, was later traced and apprehended in Otukpo, Benue State, after investigators deployed forensic tools.
Jego told the court that a Tecno Android phone and a SIM card allegedly linked to the threatening messages were recovered from the suspect at the time of his arrest.
The defendant is facing a two-count charge under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act 2024.
According to the prosecution, the messages were sent to Premier International School, The Regent Secondary School, and Oakland International British School.
The messages reportedly threatened violent attacks on the schools and their occupants.
Jego further stated that after his arrest, Agbo was taken to Abuja, where he gave a statement in the presence of a lawyer from the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria.
During the hearing, the prosecution submitted several pieces of evidence, including the recovered phone, petitions from the schools, a compact disc containing audiovisual recordings of the suspect’s interview, and a copy of his statement. These were admitted by the court without objection from the defence.
Although the defendant acknowledged being familiar with the phone, he denied ownership.
Under cross-examination, the DSS witness said the schools provided the phone numbers and copies of the threatening messages. He added that while he could not independently confirm ownership of the numbers, the suspect admitted involvement in composing the messages.
Following the session, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned the case until May 12 for continuation of trial.
