COURT JAILS FIVE BOKO HARAM CONVICTS AS FG BEGINS MASS TRIAL OF 500 SUSPECTS IN ABUJA
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced five Boko Haram convicts to prison terms of up to 20 years, as the Federal Government commenced the ninth phase of its mass trial involving 500 terrorism suspects.
Justice M. O. Olajuwon sentenced Yusuf Abacha to 20 years’ imprisonment after he admitted to membership of Boko Haram, concealing information about a fellow member, and participating in attacks. The judge ordered that the sentence run concurrently and directed that he undergo rehabilitation and de-radicalisation after serving his term.
In a related development, Justice Olajuwon ordered that Babagana Umar be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services after he denied allegations of supplying materials to the group in Sambisa Forest and failing to report their activities. His case was adjourned.
Before another judge, Binta Nyako, four additional convictions were secured. Shehu Bukar received a 20-year sentence for supplying livestock to the insurgents, an offence the court described as “gruesome.”
Isa Ali and Auwal Bello were each sentenced to 10 years in prison for providing logistical support and handling terror funds respectively, while another defendant was also handed a 10-year jail term for membership and material support.
All the convicts were ordered to undergo rehabilitation and de-radicalisation programmes after completing their sentences, with the Ministry of Interior to designate their correctional facilities.
The Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, disclosed that 227 of the 500 suspects were arraigned on the first day of proceedings, with 10 judges sitting simultaneously to fast-track the trials despite the Easter holiday period.
Fagbemi emphasized that the proceedings are being conducted transparently, with observers from the Amnesty International, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and the Nigerian Bar Association in attendance.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the Legal Aid Council, Aliu Bagudu Abubakar, noted that several suspects admitted to the charges, while a few were discharged and acquitted, underscoring the fairness of the process.
The suspects are accused of involvement in attacks across northern Nigeria that have claimed over 2,000 lives, as well as financing terrorism and supplying logistics to the insurgent group.
Security was heightened around the court premises, with suspects transported under heavy guard by operatives of the DSS, police, and the military. The trials are expected to continue on April 8, 2026.
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