A?? witness? who testified on behalf of the State Security Service (SSS)? in the trial of one of the suspects charged with complicity in the October 1, 2010, twin? bombing in Abuja, Edmund Ebiware,? said the former of Bayelsa State governor Mr. Timipre Sylva had prior knowledge of the bombing.
The witness, who was simply called “Mr. X” by the SSS for security reasons, told a Federal High Court in Abuja that he informed? Sylva that Henry Okah was planning to detonate bombs by October 1, 2010.
Other people he? said he informed that Okah? would be detonating bombs in Abuja? during the celebration of the nation’s independence were one of? the former Niger Delta militants, Ebikabowei Victor Ben, aka Boyloaf, and Selekaye Victor Ben.
The witness also confessed before the court? that? he and another individual, Emmanuel Harrison, participated in the Warri town bombing of March 15, 2010.
The witness said: “I knew Edmund through Stanley Ogbakyri. I knew Okah too and we have each other’s phone number. And we do talk on phone.? I knew, with the looks of things, Okah wanted to cause more problems after amnesty programme, because Okah felt the programme was no longer going the way it was originally designed to be.
“As at September 2010,? I knew that there would be a bomb blast in Abuja. I received a phone call from Emma? Harrisson? that Henry Okah will bomb Abuja on? October 1, 2010. I called Edmund? and told him what I heard. He did not say anything.
“I reported what Harrison told me to Boyloaf and Victor Ben. I reported to Sylva as well as to Zion Amanda who was then serving as the secretary of Brass LGA. Amanda is very close to Sylva and I knew he was going to tell Sylva too.”
Justice Kolawole, however, adjourned till July 19 for continuation of the trial.