The Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday arraigned Abdulmalik Abdulazeez Obadaki, the suspected mastermind behind the 2012 attack on Deeper Life Bible Church in Okene, Kogi State, before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

The arraignment comes two days after the DSS secured the 20-year imprisonment of Hussaini Ismaila, a leader of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), for terrorism-related offenses.

Obadaki faces a six-count charge, including: membership of a terrorist group, conspiracy, rendering assistance to acts of terrorism, concealment of information on activities of a terrorist group, and escape from lawful custody.

He pleaded guilty to count six, relating to escape from lawful custody, but pleaded not guilty to the other five counts.

Following his plea, Justice Joyce Obehi Abdulmalik adjourned the matter to January 26, 2026, to allow the court to review the facts of the count he admitted to and to hear arguments on the counts he denied.

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The court ordered that Obadaki remain in DSS custody until the next adjourned date.

Obadaki, who is believed to have led a gang that later raided five commercial banks in Uromi, Edo State, killing several people and stealing large sums of money, was initially detained at Kuje Prison.

He escaped during the July 2022 jailbreak at the Kuje Custodial Centre. Security sources disclosed that the suspect confessed to orchestrating the jailbreak following his transfer from Kabba Custodial Centre in June 2022.

On the same day, the DSS also arraigned Innocent Chukwuemeka, a social media user who allegedly used his “X” handle to canvass for a coup in Nigeria.

Chukwuemeka faces a six-count charge including false publication intended to cause public alarm and cyberstalking. He pleaded not guilty, and the court similarly fixed January 26, 2026, for the hearing, ordering that he remain in DSS custody.