The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has denied bail to John Jude Agbo, who is standing trial over an alleged plot to attack schools and kill students and teachers in the Federal Capital Territory.
Justice Joyce Obehi Abdulmalik rejected Agbo’s bail application on Thursday after the Department of State Services presented its fourth prosecution witness and formally closed its case.
The judge held that the defendant failed to provide sufficient assurance that he would not abscond if released on bail.
She consequently ordered that Agbo remain in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending the determination of the criminal case.
The matter was adjourned until September 24, 2026, for Agbo to open his defence.
Before closing its case, the prosecution called a DSS officer who testified about the investigation conducted into Agbo and persons alleged to have collaborated with him.
The witness told the court that investigators examined threatening messages allegedly sent to several schools, demanding large sums of money and warning that attacks would be carried out if the payments were not delivered to specified locations.
An audio-visual recording of Agbo’s interview with DSS investigators was tendered and admitted in evidence.
The recording was subsequently played in open court before the prosecution announced the closure of its case.
Agbo was arraigned on March 17, 2026, on a two-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/06/2026.
He is being prosecuted under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024.
The DSS alleged that Agbo used several telephone numbers to send threatening text messages to schools in Abuja.
The affected institutions were identified as Premier International School, The Regent Secondary School and Oakland International British School.
According to the prosecution, the messages contained threats to attack the schools, destroy property and kill students and teachers. Agbo has not been convicted and remains presumed innocent unless found guilty by the court.
How Suspect Was Arrested
At the commencement of trial in April, DSS operative Michael Jego told the court that the agency received petitions from three schools in 2024 concerning the threatening messages.
Jego, who testified as the first prosecution witness, said the investigation began after the agency received a petition from Oakland International British School dated November 28, 2024.
He testified that forensic investigation allegedly led security operatives to Agbo in Otukpo, Benue State, where a mobile telephone and SIM card were recovered.
The witness said Agbo was brought to Abuja and interviewed in the presence of a lawyer from the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria.
The prosecution tendered the recovered telephone, petitions submitted by the schools, Agbo’s extra-judicial statement and a compact disc containing recordings of his interview and statement-taking sessions.
The exhibits were admitted without objection from his defence counsel, Hamza Dantani.
During cross-examination, Jego acknowledged that the petitions submitted by the schools did not mention Agbo’s name and that the telephone numbers and threatening messages were supplied by the complainants.
He, however, maintained that Agbo admitted participating in the preparation of the alleged messages and was arrested with the telephone linked to the investigation.
Following the testimony of four prosecution witnesses, the DSS closed its case.
Agbo is expected to begin presenting his defence when the trial resumes on September 24.
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