The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has remanded three foreign nationals and six Nigerians for allegedly aiding and abetting kidnapping, sea piracy and terrorism.
The suspects and employees of Pilgrim Africa Limited were arrested by the Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder following the allegations that they paid $200,000 to a gang of sea pirates, who abducted their colleagues.
The suspects, who were arraigned on three-count of conspiracy, and terrorism, reportedly conveyed the kidnap victims to Calabar in Cross River State when they were freed by their abductors.
The charge sheet specifically accused them of facilitating to pay the ransom to the Pirates, who attacked their vessel, MV Elobey Vi, off Equatorial Guinea Coasts, for the release of Mr. Abaamrane Hamid, Mr. Chalabi Abdelaziz and Mr. Santos Ndong.
They were said to have committed an offence contrary to section 17 (1) of Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013.
The suspects were listed as Binaebi Johnson, Daniel Lemmer, Ghane Gordopn, Hassan Hakeem, Gregory Smith, Ofem Uket, John Mark, Chidi Amadi, Eze Amadi and Pilgrim Africa Limited.
But the nine suspects pleaded not guilty to all the charges levelled against them by the Federal Government.
The prosecuting lawyer, Labaram Magaji, relying on section 216 of the Administration of Criminal Justice 2015, prayed the court to strike out the name of the 10th defendant, Pilgrim Africa Limited.
Magaji urged the court to commence the trial and remand the suspects in the Correctional Centre, pending the determination of the matter or the bail application filed by the respective defendants.
However, the defence lawyer, Abimbola Akeredolu (SAN), asked the court to entertain the bail application of the defendants saying it was ripe for hearing and the court for an order admitting all the applicants on bail on liberal ground and favourable terms.
Akeredolu told the court that the applicants would be available in court till the conclusion of the matter.
The judge, Mohammed Sani, who promised speedy hearing of the case, adjourned the matter till the 10th, 11th and 12th for ruling on bail application and commencement of hearing.
Sani remanded the defendants in the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre and order that all COVID-19 precautionary protocol should be maintained by the centre before admitting the suspects.

By Mike Odigwe