Five terrorists put on trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja by the Department of the State Service (DSS) have been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment each for their complicity in the terrorism attacks in Niger and Kwara states.
They include two Nigeriens from Republic of Niger and their three Nigerian counterparts based in Borgu local government area of Niger state.
They are Yusuf Mohammed (Aka Bature), Goni Ibrahim Bindi (Aka Goni Mutuwa), Sani Tukur (Aka Danladi), Mubarak Ibrahim and Musa Alhaji Adamu (Aka Gado Banufe) .
Justice Binta Fatimah Nyako ordered their imprisonment on Thursday when they were arraigned before her on 4-count terrorism charges and instantly pleaded guilty to the charges.
In count one and two which bordered on conspiracy and rendering services to members of the Boko Haram members in Niger state, the Judge slammed 25 years each on the five accused persons.
In count three in which four of them pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of firearms, Justice Nyako sentenced Goni Ibrahim Bindi (Aka Goni Mutuwa), Sani Tukur (Aka Danladi), Mubarak Ibrahim and Musa Alhaji Adamu (Aka Gado Banufe) to seven years each.
Similarly, in count four, the 1st defendant,
Yusuf Mohammed (Aka Bature), who admitted concealing information on the activities of the Boko Haram members in a forest in Niger state, bagged 25 years imprisonment.
Aside their imprisonment, Justice Nyako ordered that the Golf Car used to convey the 15 AK 103 Rifles from Niger Republic to Nigeria be forfeited to the federal government along with the firearms.
The DSS charges against them bordered on rendering assistance to a terrorist by agreeing to convey rifles, being found with arms and ammunition while concealed, illegal possession and dealing with firearms and concealment.
Following their admission of guit, the prosecution counsel prayed that the defendants be convicted as charged and also sought the court permission to tender from the bar the forwarding letter which contained the investigation report as well as the statements of the defendants, to which the defence counsel had no objection to the application.
The exhibits were subsequently admitted against them and marked as A, 1-5.
Also, 15 units of AK 103 rifles complete with its magazines and 1434 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition were tendered with no objection from the defence counsel.
They were admitted and marked as B, 1-14 and the ammunition marked as C series.
The court thereafter sentenced the five convicts on count one and two to 25 years imprisonment while on count three, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants were sentenced to seven years imprisonment.
On count four the 1st defendant was sentenced to 25 years and the sentences are to run concurrently from the date of arrest.
Justice Nyako ordered that they should serve their jail term in a place designated by the Minister of Interior.
The charges against the convicts are;
COUNT ONE; “That you, Yusuf Muhammad (a.k.a. Bature), adult, male, thirty-three (33) years old of Gofanti village, Borgu LGA, Niger State, Goni Ibrahim Bindi (a.k.a. Goni Mutua), adult, male, twenty-three (23) years old of Awadiri, Diffa region, Republic of Niger, Sani Tukur (a.k.a. Danladi), adult, male, twenty five 25) years old of Sansani Displaced Persons Camp, Diffa region, Republic of Niger, Mubarak Ibrahim, adult, male twenty eight (28) years old of Gofanti village, Borgu LGA of Niger State, and Musa Alhaji Adamu (a.k.a Gado Banufe) between 237 and 24” April, 2026 did commit an offence, to wit: jointly conspired to render assistance to a terrorist by agreeing and intentionally playing various roles towards conveying fifteen (15) AK 103 rifles as well as about one thousand, four hundred and thirty-four (1,434) rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition from Diffa region, Republic of Niger to one Malam Ahmad, a member of the Boko Haram terrorist group based in Borgu LGA of Niger State. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
COUNT TWO; “That you, Yusuf Muhammad (a.k.a. Bature), adult, male, thirty-three (33) years old of Gofanti village, Borgu LGA, Niger State, Goni Ibrahim Bindi (a.k.a. Goni Mutua), adult, male, twenty-three (23) years old of Awadiri, Diffa region, Republic of Niger, Sani Tukur (a.k.a. Danladi), adult, male, twenty five 25) years old of Sansani Displaced Persons Camp, Diffa region, Republic of Niger, Mubarak Ibrahim, adult, male twenty eight (28) years old of Gofanti village, Borgu LGA of Niger State, and Musa Alhaji Adamu (a.k.a Gado Banufe) between 237 ne 24 Arrl 8 se won on eff ae) oe weer ndered Support for commission of act of terrorism to a terrorist by agreeing and conveying fifteen (15) AK 103 rifles as weil as about one thousand, four hundred and thirty-four (1,434) rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition from Diffa region, Republic of Niger on behalf of one Malam Ahmad, a member of the Boko Haram terrorist group based in Borgu LGA of Niger State. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 13(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
COUNT 3 “That you, Goni Ibrahim Bindi (a.k.a. Goni Mutuwa), adult, male, twentythree (23) years old of Awadiri, Diffa region, Republic of Niger,Sani Tukur (a.k.a. Danladi), adult, male, twenty five (25 years old of Sansani Displaced Persons Camp, Diffa region, Republic of Niger and Musa Alhaji Adamu (a.k.a Gado Banufe), sometime between 23″ and 24” April, 2026 at Kwangila area, along Kano-Kaduna express, Zaria; within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence, to wit: you had in your possession fifteen (15) AK 103 rifles and about one thousand, four hundred and thirty-four (1,434) rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition carefully concealed in sacks containing dried fish loaded in a blue Volkswagen (golf 3) car with Republic of Niger registered plate number BT 9990 DA. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27 (1) (a) (i), and (b) (ii) of the Firearms Act, CAP F28 LFN, 2004.
COUNT 4; “That you, Yusuf Muhammad (a.K.a, Bature), adult, male, thirty-three (33) years old of Gofanti village, Borgu LGA, Niger State, sometimes between February 2025 and April, 2026 did commit an offence, to wit: you had information which you know or believed to be of material assistance in securing the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of Malam Ahmad, a known terrorist hibernating in Gandu forest, Borgu LGA of Niger State, and you failed to disclose such information to law enforcement or security officers. You thereby committed an offence in contravention of Section 16 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
