On Tuesday, April 7, the Federal Government resumed the prosecution of more than 500 suspected terrorists arrested in various parts of the country.
At the Federal High Court in Abuja, several defendants were arraigned and convicted, including Shehu Bukar, a father of three, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for supplying goats to Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State.
Bukar had initially pleaded not guilty to four of the five charges brought against him, but prosecutors later dropped those counts and proceeded with one charge, which he admitted.
In delivering judgment, Justice Binta Nyako relied on his extrajudicial statement, the investigation report, and his confession in court. His plea for leniency was rejected, with the court stressing that terrorism remains a serious and widespread threat, and that assisting insurgents—even by supplying goats—constitutes a grave offence.
In a separate case, Hamza Yahuza, a father of six, was sentenced to seven years in prison for supplying Indian hemp and cigarettes to Boko Haram members in Borno State. Although he admitted to the offence in 2023 and sought forgiveness, the court dismissed his claim that poverty drove his actions. His sentence was backdated to March 6, 2023, the date of his arrest.
Another defendant, Hamatu Modu, received a 40-year sentence after confessing to providing food and intelligence to the terrorists. However, the court ordered the terms to run concurrently, meaning he will serve 10 years.
Similarly, Isah Ali was convicted for supplying food to insurgents and sentenced to 10 years in prison, with his term also backdated to his arrest. The court further directed that he undergo rehabilitation and deradicalisation after completing his sentence.
Other judges who presided over the cases included Justices Emeka Nwite, Musa Liman, Akpan Ekerete, and Mobolaji Olajuwon.
