The Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted and sentenced the mother and sister of slain bandit kingpin Kachallah Ibrahim Battujo to 40-year imprisonment each for terrorism-related offences.
The convicts, Safiya Salihu and Halima Abdullahi, were found guilty on Friday for aiding the activities of the notorious bandit by passing information to him through telephone conversations, an offence punishable under Section 26 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In a judgement delivered by Justice Hauwa Yilwa, the court also held that the two women concealed information about Battujo’s activities by failing to report him to law enforcement authorities despite having knowledge that could have led to his arrest.
The court heard that the women had visited Battujo’s camp in the forest, where they saw him armed with firearms, but failed to disclose the information to security agencies as required by law.
Justice Yilwa handed down the sentences after both defendants pleaded guilty to counts two, four and five of the five-count terrorism charge filed against them by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
However, the court discharged them on counts one and three, which accused them of receiving ₦490,300 from Battujo while allegedly knowing that the money constituted proceeds of terrorism.
According to the prosecution, the defendants ought to have known that the money used to sponsor their pilgrimage was derived from terrorist activities and had therefore violated Section 21 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, had urged the court to strike out the two counts while seeking the conviction and sentencing of the defendants on the remaining three charges.
Battujo, a notorious bandit leader, was killed by security forces on June 10, 2026, during an operation in a forest near Iluke in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Parts of the charges against the convicts read: “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, by passing information through telephone conversations to the said Battujo, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 26 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Another charge stated: “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 Honourable Court, did commit an offence when you concealed information about the activities of Battujo, a known bandit kingpin, having visited his forest camp and seen him in possession of firearms — information 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, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 16 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
The third count added: “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 Honourable Court, did commit an offence when you concealed information about the activities of Battujo, a suspected bandit kingpin — information 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, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 16 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
