From Victor Osula, Abuja
In a landmark ruling reinforcing Nigeria’s fight against terrorism, the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday convicted and sentenced suspected terrorists to long jail terms, including 20 years imprisonment on each count and life imprisonment for the most serious offences.
The Federal Government on Tuesday began the mass trial of 20 arrested suspects accused of terrorism-related offences.
The convictions followed guilty pleas from the defendants, many of whom asked the court to temper justice with mercy. Despite their appeals, the court emphasized that the severity of the crimes demanded firm sentences to serve as a deterrent against terrorism.
Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who led the prosecution, informed the court that the minimum sentence for each terrorism-related offence is 20 years imprisonment, while the maximum penalty is life imprisonment.
Fagbemi added that the court could order the sentences to commence from the date of the defendants’ arrest, ensuring that justice is immediate and binding.
The convicted suspects were involved in a series of serious offences, including receiving specialized training in handling AK-47 rifles, supplying food, clothing, and drugs to ISWAP, a proscribed terrorist organization, attacking and injuring military personnel, burning military vehicles, and providing fuel and scrap materials to sustain terrorist operations.
The mass trial, which traditionally takes place in Kainji, Niger State, was relocated to Abuja due to the court’s Easter vacation.
Most courtrooms at the Abuja division were engaged in hearing the cases, highlighting the scale of the proceedings and the judiciary’s determination to ensure timely justice.
Several judges presided over different aspects of the trial, including Justices Binta Nyako, Emeka Nwite, and Obiora Egwuatu.
Justice Nyako handled cases involving Abubakar Ali, Hamat Modu, Isah Ali, Awal Bello, and Shehu Bukar, while Justice Nwite oversaw Gonni Alhaji, Mallam Yana, Mohammed Hassan, and Tasiu Yakubu, among others. Other members of the bench ensured that the trial adhered strictly to legal procedures while protecting defendants’ rights.
Attorney-General Fagbemi described the verdicts as “a significant step in ensuring that justice serves both as a deterrent and a tool to safeguard Nigeria’s peace and stability.”
