Court Sentences More Terror Suspects to 60, 40 Years Imprisonment

Alex Enumah in Abuja

A special court sitting in Abuja has sentenced scores of defendants to various jail terms, over their alleged complicity in the activities of the Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Their sentencing on Thursday was following their admittance of guilt in the terrorism charge against them.

The special court sitting on terrorism which resumed on Tuesday is tasked with the trial of 500 terror Suspects held in military facilities in Kainji and Maiduguri.

While the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, is leading the prosecution, the Director-General of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria (LACON) is however heading the defence team.

At Thursday’s proceedings, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, convicted and sentenced 11 persons to various jail terms ranging from 60 to 40 years imprisonment, on offences that were brought under the Terrorism (Prohibition and Prevention) Act.

Meanwhile, their sentence, according to the judge, will run concurrently and commencing from the date of their arrest and detention.

The court also ordered that the convicts be rehabilitated and de-radicalized after serving their various jail terms.

The convicts include; Musa Mustapha; Ali Mohammed; Babagana Ali; Abacha Abba; Ali Abbagana Umar; Kadi Agwala; Yahaya Umara; Alhaji Ari; Goni Mustapha; Ali Modu and Alhaji Fannaya.

They were accused of belonging to a proscribed organization known as the Boko Haram sect and rendering materials and logistics support to members of the group.

The convicts were sentenced upon their confession to the offences in open court as well as in their extra judicial statements.

Justice Egwuatu in handing down their various jail terms, held that court is allowed to summarily convicts the defendants upon an admission of guilt without calling on the prosecution to prove his case.

The Judge added that the court can convict an accused upon his confessional statement.

In the case of Alhaji Fannaya, a Boko Haram member from Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, he was convicted and sentenced to 20 years on each of the four-count charge against him.

This was after he pleaded to four out of the five count charges.

Abacha Abba, a confessed Boko Haram member from Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno, was convicted and sentenced to 20 years on each of the three- count charges including conveying weapons to members of the sect and receiving training instructions on weapon handling.

On his part, Ali Babagana Umar was convicted and sentenced to 20 years on each of the two-counts charges including rendering support to Boko Haram members.

Kadi Agwala of Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno State, was sentenced and convicted to 20 years on each of the two-counts for rendering support to members of Boko Haram.

In his own judgment, Justice Peter Lifu sentenced one Ali Kolo, to nine years imprisonment for failing to report the activities of the dreaded terrorists to security agents.

Kolo, was shot in the right leg by Boko Haram terrorist in Borno State while going to report the activities of the terrorists to the military

He was however convicted for concealing information regarding the activities of the terrorists group in Borno State.

The defendant who was 37 years old when the terrorists shattered his right leg with bullets informed the court that he was shot with an AK-47 gun while on his way to report the terrorists to the military.

The defendant, through his lawyer, Mrs Usman explained that his journey to report the terror group was cut short because he landed in the hospital as a result of the gun injury and pleaded with the judge to be lenient with him.

In his judgment, Justice Lifu agreed that the defendant didn’t report the activities of the terror group to the military but held that it was due to circumstances beyond the control of the defendant.

Justice Lifu consequently, sentenced him to nine years imprisonment and ordered that the sentence should start from 2017 when the defendant was arrested and clamped into detention.

Justice Lifu held that by prison law, the convict had already spent more than 10yrs in detention and must therefore, be immediately released from custody to enable him attend to his injury.

The judge in his discretion observed that the convict was not found guilty for belonging to the Boko Haram sect nor received training in weapons but, was found guilty only on concealment of information.

The judge held that the convict had suffered enough and must be released immediately upon his signing of warrant for his release, adding that keeping him further in prison would amount to double jeopardy.

In another development, Ibrahim Buba, a Borno state based bricklayer was jailed 10 years for failure to relay information on the activities of Boko haram in Borno state to the military.

Bubba, also known as Baba Gana, in his defence claimed that he ran from Borno to Mubi in Adamawa State and later to Onitsha in Anambra State, when the terrorists were after his life having recognizing some of them.

in the two count charge, the convict admitted knowing two of the terrorists and that he did not pass information to the military and instead ran to Onitsha where he was apprehended in 2023 while engaging in bricklaying job.

He pleaded for leniency prompting Justice Lifu to impose a 10 year jail term on him as against 20 years demanded by the prosecution.

Justice Lifu ordered that the 10 years jail term should start from March 24, 2023 when the convict was arrested and detained.

The trial continues Friday.