Lawyers representing a man accused of participating in last April's bombing of a building occupied by This Day, The Moment and The Sun newspapers in Kaduna have abandoned the case without knowledge of the accused person, a court in Abuja heard yesterday.

Mustapha Umar was arraigned on one count of terrorist related act to which he pleaded not guilty.

He is alleged to have driven a white Honda Academy car with registration number AL 306 MKA with improvised explosives devices into the premises of SOJ plaza and detonated same.

Yesterday was slated for defense to open its case but prosecuting counsel Shuaibu Labaran informed the court that Umar's counsel, F.I Umahi and Mohammed Umar, had served him with a notice of withdrawal after they were served the court processes.

Umar, who only learnt yesterday in court that his lawyers had filed a notice of withdrawal, prayed for an adjournment to enable him get legal representation.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola directed prosecution to serve the accused with all the processes so as to enable him proceed with the trial at the next adjourned date with or without a defense counsel and adjourned till April 23, 24, 29 and 30 for trial.