Five persons prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) have been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment each by the Federal High Court in Abuja, for offences bordering on terrorism and illegal arms trafficking linked to attacks in Niger and Kwara States.
The convicts—two nationals of the Republic of Niger and three Nigerians from Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State—are Yusuf Mohammed (a.k.a. Bature), Goni Ibrahim Bindi (a.k.a. Goni Mutuwa), Sani Tukur (a.k.a. Danladi), Mubarak Ibrahim, and Musa Alhaji Adamu (a.k.a. Gado Banufe).
Justice Binta Nyako delivered the judgment on Thursday, after the defendants were arraigned on a four-count terrorism charge and pleaded guilty to all counts.
On counts one and two, which bordered on conspiracy and rendering support to members of the Boko Haram terrorist group in Niger State, the court sentenced each of the five defendants to 25 years imprisonment.
On count three, four of the defendants—Goni Ibrahim Bindi, Sani Tukur, Mubarak Ibrahim, and Musa Alhaji Adamu—were each handed seven years imprisonment for unlawful possession of firearms.
Read Also:
- Court sentences 4 terrorists to death by hanging over Owo church attack
- Court orders lawyer to pay Umahi N50m for defamation
- Alleged N2.8bn Fraud: Court defers ruling on bid to halt Sirika trial until judgment day
In addition, Yusuf Mohammed, who was charged in count four for withholding information on the activities of Boko Haram operatives in a forest in Niger State, was also sentenced to 25 years imprisonment.
The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently, effective from the date of arrest.
Justice Nyako further directed that the convicts serve their terms in a correctional facility designated by the Minister of Interior.
She also ordered the forfeiture of a Volkswagen Golf car used in conveying the arms, along with 15 AK-103 rifles and 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, to the Federal Government.
The charges against the defendants bordered on conspiracy to render assistance to terrorists by facilitating the movement of arms from the Diffa region of the Republic of Niger into Nigeria, as well as illegal possession and concealment of firearms.
During proceedings, prosecution counsel urged the court to convict the defendants based on their guilty plea and tendered several exhibits, including investigation reports and statements of the accused persons, which were admitted without objection by the defence.
Also admitted as exhibits were 15 AK-103 rifles with magazines and 1,434 rounds of live ammunition.
According to the charge sheet, the defendants were accused of playing various roles in transporting the weapons to an identified Boko Haram member in Borgu Local Government Area.
The arms were reportedly concealed in sacks of dried fish loaded into a Volkswagen Golf car with Niger Republic registration number BT 9990 DA.
The court held that the prosecution had sufficiently established the offences as charged, leading to the convictions and sentencing.
