Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted and sentenced three terrorists to death by hanging after they pleaded guilty to terrorism-related offences in the ongoing mass terrorism trial being conducted by the Federal Government.
The convictions were handed down by Justices James Omotosho and Salim Ibrahim on Thursday following the guilty pleas of the defendants to various charges brought against them by the Federal Government.
One of the convicts, Danladi Lawal, also known as Dankawu, was sentenced to death by hanging by Justice Omotosho after pleading guilty to a five-count charge bordering on terrorism, kidnapping and receipt of ransom proceeds.
Lawal, 33, from Maikaho village in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State, was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment on count one, 15 years on count two, life imprisonment on count three, death by hanging on count four, and life imprisonment on count five.
Justice Omotosho, while pronouncing the sentence, said, “May God have mercy on you.”
According to the charge, Lawal and others still at large abducted an elderly man in 2020 and held him captive for four days in a forest hideout in Ilela, demanding N950,000 ransom from his family.
The prosecution said the act caused fear and insecurity within the affected community and contravened provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention Amendment) Act, 2013.
The court also found Lawal guilty of receiving N450,000, being part of the ransom proceeds from the kidnapping.
In separate proceedings, Justice Ibrahim sentenced Abdullahi Mohammed and Mohammed Gulama Shaibu to death by hanging after they admitted guilt to terrorism charges filed against them.
Shaibu was sentenced to death on one count and life imprisonment on another, while Mohammed was convicted on a one-count charge.
The court also sentenced Mohammed Dezami Sherife to life imprisonment on three counts after he pleaded guilty to charges contained in a 10-count information filed by the Federal Government.
In another case, Justice Omotosho sentenced Shamsudeen Muhammad Ibrahim, also known as Abu Harira, to life imprisonment for supporting the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) through participation in terrorist training and indoctrination programmes.
The court further imposed a 35-year jail term on Ibrahim for failing to disclose information relating to the activities of terrorist groups.
Similarly, Justice Emeka Nwite sentenced Lawi Abubakar Mohammed to 20 years imprisonment each on two terrorism-related counts.
The judge ordered that the sentences run consecutively from the date of his arrest, amounting to a total of 40 years imprisonment.
Justice Nwite also directed that the convict undergo rehabilitation and deradicalisation before reintegration into society upon completion of his sentence.
The convictions form part of the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to prosecute terrorism suspects and strengthen the fight against terrorism and violent extremism across the country.
