The Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted several individuals for providing support to Boko Haram insurgents, sentencing them to various prison terms.
The convictions are part of the Federal Government’s ongoing prosecution of over 500 suspected terrorists arrested across different parts of the country.
Among those sentenced is Shehu Bukar, a father of three, who was jailed for 20 years after admitting to supplying goats to insurgents in Borno State. The court relied on his confession and investigation reports, rejecting his plea for leniency.
In a separate ruling, Hamza Yahuza received a seven-year sentence for supplying Indian hemp and cigarettes to Boko Haram members. Although he pleaded for forgiveness, the court dismissed his claim that poverty drove him into the act and ordered that his sentence take effect from the date of his arrest in March 2023.
Another defendant, Hamatu Modu, was sentenced to 40 years imprisonment for providing food and intelligence to the insurgents. However, the court ruled that the sentences run concurrently, meaning he will serve 10 years.
Similarly, Isah Ali was convicted for supplying food to the group and handed a 10-year jail term, with the court also recommending rehabilitation and deradicalisation after his sentence.
The court stressed that aiding terrorist groups in any form remains a serious offence, noting that such actions contribute to insecurity across the country.
The trials were presided over by multiple judges, with the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, and the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo, leading the prosecution team.