Kabiru Umar, widely known as Kabiru Sokoto, has filed an appeal against the court judgment that convicted him over terrorism-related offences linked to the 2011 bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church.
His lawyer, Don Akaegbu, made this known in a statement released to the public. According to him, the decision to challenge the conviction came after the legal team carefully reviewed the proceedings and judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Abuja on December 20, 2013.
The lawyer explained that an application requesting more time to file the appeal had already been submitted because of delays that affected the process.
The legal team also argued that many reports about the case have created the impression that their client directly carried out the church bombing. However, they insisted that the charges brought against Umar were different from what many people believe.
According to the statement, the court charges did not accuse Kabiru Sokoto of personally organizing or carrying out the deadly attack on the Catholic church in Madalla. Instead, the charge claimed he allegedly had information about the bombing and failed to report it to security authorities.
The lawyers stressed that there is a major legal difference between actively taking part in a crime and allegedly knowing about it beforehand without reporting it. They said this issue would play a key role in the appeal process.
The defence team further stated that the appeal would question the evidence used to secure the conviction and also examine how the trial judge handled Umar’s defence during the case.
According to the statement, the appeal will focus on whether the evidence presented in court was legally acceptable and strong enough to justify the conviction. The lawyers also want the appellate court to review whether the trial followed proper legal standards and constitutional principles.
The legal team maintained that criminal guilt should only be determined based on clear evidence and the exact charges presented before the court.
In addition, the statement revealed that Kabiru Umar used his time in detention to further his education. While in custody, he reportedly earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the National Open University of Nigeria.
His lawyers described the achievement as a sign of personal growth and determination despite his situation.
They added that the main purpose of the appeal is to give their client the opportunity to prove his innocence through the legal process, in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.