By Opeyemi Adelakun
The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced the mother and sister of a suspected bandit kingpin, Battujo, to 20 years imprisonment each for aiding terrorism-related activities and withholding information that could have assisted security agencies in tracking him down.
Justice Hawa Joseph Yilwa delivered the judgment on Friday after the two women, Halima Abdullahi and Safiya Salihu, admitted to charges brought against them under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The court heard that the convicts maintained communication with the suspected bandit leader and passed information to him through telephone conversations, actions prosecutors said amounted to aiding and abetting terrorist activities.
Halima was also found guilty of concealing information about her son’s activities despite allegedly possessing knowledge that could have assisted law enforcement agencies in securing his arrest.
Similarly, Safiya was convicted for failing to disclose information regarding the suspected kingpin’s activities after allegedly visiting his hideout and seeing him in possession of firearms.
Justice Yilwa sentenced both women to 20 years imprisonment on each of the two counts to which they pleaded guilty. However, following an appeal for leniency by their counsel from the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, the judge ordered that the sentences run concurrently.
As a result, the two convicts will serve 20 years each, with the jail term taking effect from February 2026, when they were arrested.
Several other charges, including allegations relating to the receipt of funds suspected to be proceeds of terrorism and sponsorship for pilgrimage, were withdrawn by the prosecution and subsequently struck out by the court.
The case forms part of ongoing efforts by authorities to dismantle support networks linked to terrorism and banditry across the country.
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