A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has convicted and sentenced five men, including citizens of the Republic of Niger, to 25 years’ imprisonment over terrorism-related offences involving the movement of arms and ammunition allegedly meant for a Boko Haram member.
The convicts are Yusuf Mohammed, also known as Bature; Goni Ibrahim Bindi, also known as Goni Mutuwa; Sani Tukur, also known as Danladi; Mubarak Ibrahim; and Musa Alhaji Adamu, also known as Gado Banufe.
They were arraigned on Thursday before Justice Binta Nyako by the Department of State Services, DSS, on a four-count charge bordering on rendering assistance to a terrorist, unlawful possession and movement of firearms and ammunition, and concealment of information relating to terrorism.
All five defendants pleaded guilty to the charge.
Following their guilty plea, the prosecution applied to tender items recovered from the defendants.
With the permission of the court, the prosecution tendered a forwarding letter, an investigation report and the statements of the defendants.
Also tendered were 15 AK-103 rifles with magazines and 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition allegedly recovered from the defendants.
The defence did not object to the admissibility of the exhibits.
Justice Nyako admitted the items in evidence and convicted the defendants after their guilty plea.
The court thereafter invited each of the convicts to make a plea of allocutus before sentence was passed.
The prosecution also asked the court to order the forfeiture of a Volkswagen Golf car allegedly used in transporting the arms and ammunition to the Federal Government.
In her judgment, Justice Nyako found the defendants guilty as charged and sentenced them accordingly.
On count one, the court sentenced all five convicts to 25 years’ imprisonment.
On counts two and three, the court sentenced the third, fourth and fifth convicts to seven years’ imprisonment.
On count four, the first convict, Yusuf Mohammed, was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment.
Justice Nyako ordered that the sentences should run concurrently, beginning from the date of their arrest.
The court also ordered that the convicts should serve their terms in a custodial facility designated by the Minister of Interior.
Justice Nyako further ordered the forfeiture of the recovered firearms, ammunition and other exhibits to the Federal Government.
According to the charge, the convicts, between April 23 and 24, 2026, allegedly conspired to render assistance to a terrorist by agreeing and playing different roles in conveying 15 AK-103 rifles and about 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition from Diffa Region in the Republic of Niger to one Malam Ahmad, alleged to be a member of the Boko Haram terrorist group based in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
The prosecution said the offence was contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022.
The charge further alleged that the defendants rendered support for the commission of an act of terrorism by agreeing to convey the firearms and ammunition on behalf of the alleged Boko Haram member.
The prosecution also alleged that Goni Ibrahim Bindi, Sani Tukur and Musa Alhaji Adamu were found in possession of the 15 AK-103 rifles and 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, which were carefully concealed in sacks containing dried fish.
The arms and ammunition were allegedly loaded in a blue Volkswagen Golf 3 car with Republic of Niger registration number BT 9990 DA at Kwangila area along the Kano-Kaduna Expressway in Zaria.
In the fourth count, Yusuf Mohammed was accused of failing to disclose information he allegedly knew or believed could materially assist in the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of Malam Ahmad, described in the charge as a known terrorist hiding in Gandu Forest, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
The court held that the defendants’ guilty plea and the evidence presented by the prosecution were sufficient to sustain the conviction.
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