Journalists were yesterday barred from covering proceedings at the Federal High Court, Lagos, when 17 alleged members of the Boko Haram sect were arraigned.
The suspects were charged with eight count charge of belonging to the proscribed organisation and for being in possession of explosives and dangerous weapons.
They were brought to the court presided over by Justice Musa Kurya at about 9.45am by a combined team of riot policemen and Department of State Security Services (DSS) officials who were armed with sophisticated weapons.
As proceedings were to begin, an SSS official asked everyone who was not a lawyer to leave the courtroom.
When the court reporters identified themselves and explained why they were in court, the security agent said the press had been barred from covering the case.
He said the SSS got a directive from the Presidency to stop journalists from covering the proceedings.
When the journalists complied and stood outside the courtroom, another armed SSS officer asked them to leave and not stay anywhere around the corridor.
“I give you five minutes to leave this place, or you will be handcuffed,” the security agent threatened.
Earlier, a lawyer who was caught taking photographs of the accused persons with his mobile phone as they marched into the court had it seized.
When the case ended at about 11.58am, journalists approached the prosecutor, Mrs. E. I. Alakija of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the Lagos State Ministry of Justice to get details of what transpired in court, but she was unwilling to speak to the press.
She directed the journalists to ask the court officials for a copy of the charge, saying she had none to spare.
She added that she had only one copy, but did not release it to be photocopied when asked.
One of the lawyers in the prosecution team told the journalists to be “patient” as “the case is very sensitive.”

L-R: Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, wife of the Governor of Benue State, Mrs Yemisi Suswan and Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, at the Conference of Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (Cowlso) in Lagos, recently.
Photo: NAN