A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced the mother and sister of a suspected terrorist kingpin to 40 years imprisonment for offences linked to terrorism.
The two women, identified as Safiya Salihu and Halima Abdullahi, were convicted after pleading guilty to charges brought against them by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
According to court proceedings, the convicts are the mother and sister of Kachallah Ibrahim Battujo, a suspected bandit leader who was reportedly killed by security forces during an operation in Kogi State earlier this month.
The prosecution accused the women of supporting the activities of the suspected terrorist through information sharing and concealing vital details about his operations.
One of the charges stated that they aided and abetted Battujo’s activities by passing information to him through telephone conversations.
The court also found that both women failed to disclose critical information regarding the activities of the suspected kingpin despite having knowledge of them.
While one of the convicts was found guilty of concealing information related to terrorism activities, the other admitted to withholding information about firearms allegedly possessed by her brother.
After considering their guilty pleas, Justice Hauwa Yilwa sentenced them to 20 years imprisonment on each relevant count.
However, the court ordered that the sentences run concurrently, meaning both women will serve a total of 20 years each rather than 40 years separately.
The judge also directed that they undergo rehabilitation after serving their prison terms.
The case forms part of ongoing efforts by Nigerian authorities to prosecute individuals linked to terrorism and banditry across the country.
Source: Federal High Court, Abuja.
