Justice Hawa Joseph Yilwa of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has sentenced the mother and sister of a suspected bandit kingpin, Battujo, to 20 years’ imprisonment each.
Naijaonpoint reports that the convicts, Halima Abdullahi and Safiya Salihu, both from Dungun Mu’aza in Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State, were arraigned on terrorism-related charges filed by the Federal Government.
They were initially sentenced to 40 years each after pleading guilty to two counts, but the court ordered the sentences to run concurrently.
Abdullahi admitted to aiding and abetting her son’s activities by allegedly passing information to him through telephone conversations.
The offence is contrary to Section 26 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The court also found her guilty of concealing information about Battujo’s activities, which prosecutors said could have helped security agencies arrest him.
Salihu, Battujo’s blood sister, was also convicted after pleading guilty to the same two counts.
Following a plea by their counsel, Dauda Hassan of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, who cited their ages and status as first-time offenders, Justice Yilwa ordered that the sentences should run concurrently.
The judge also ruled that the jail terms should take effect from February 2026, when they were arrested. By the order, the two women will serve 20 years each.
The convicts pleaded not guilty to three other counts.
The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), subsequently withdrew the charges, and the court struck them out.
The withdrawn charges included allegations of receiving N490,300 from Battujo, receiving sponsorship for Hajj pilgrimage from funds allegedly linked to terrorism, and other terrorism-financing-related claims.
The charges against them are;
COUNT ONE; “That you HALIMA ABDULLAHI and SAFIYA SALIHU, Female, adult, of Dungun Mu’aa Sahbuwa LGA, Katsina State sometiine in 2026 at Katsina State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did commit an offence, when you received the sum of four hundred and ninety, thousand, three hundred Naira only (₦490,300) from Battujo a known terrorist, which sum you reasonably ought to know formed part of the proceeds of Terrorism, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under the section 21 of the Terrorism (Prevention Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
COUNT TWO; “That you HALIMA ABDULLAHI and SAFIYA SALIHU, Female, adult, of Dungun Mu’aza Sabuwa LGA, Katsina State, sometime in 2026 at Katsina State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence, when you aided and abetted the activities of Battujo, a known bandit Kingpin and passed information through telephone conversations to the said Battujo, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 26 of the terrorism (Prevention Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
COUNT THREE; “That you HALIMA ABDULLAHI and SAFIYA SALIHU, Female, adult, of Dungun Mu‘aza Sabuwa LGA, Katsina State, sometime in 2026 at Katsina State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence when you received sponsorship to travel for Hajj Pilgrimage from one BATTUJO, a known bandit Kingpin, from funds you reasonably ought to know formed part of Terrorism, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 21 of the terrorism (Prevention Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
COUNT FOUR; “That you SAFIYA SALIHU, Female, adult, of Dungun Mu’aza Sabuwa LGA, Katsina State sometime in 2026 at Katsina State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did commit an offence concealed information about the activities of Battujo a known bandit Kingpin when you visited his forest camp and saw him in possession of firearms, an information which you knew to be of material assistance in securing his apprehension, but failed to disclose such information to any law enforcement or security officer as soon as reasonably practicable and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 16 of the terrorism (Prevention Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
COUNT FIVE; ‘That you HALIMA ABDULLAHI, Female, adult, of Dungun Mu’aza Sabuwa LGA, Katsina State sometime in 2026 at Katsina State within the jurisdiction of this Honorabie Court, did commit an offence when you concealed information about the activities of Battujo a suspected bandit Kingpin, an information which you knew to be of material assistance in securing his apprehension, but failed to disclose such information to any law enforcement or security officer as soon as reasonably practicable and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 16 of the terrorism (Prevention Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
