Safiya Salihu and Halima Abdullah, the mother and sister of the late terrorist kingpin Kachallah Ibrahim Battujo, have both been sentenced to 40 years in prison.
The judgment was delivered on Friday by Justice Hauwa Joseph Yilwa following a five-count terrorism charge filed against them by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
The Guilty Pleas and Sentencing
The convictions were handed down after both women admitted guilt to Counts 2, 4, and 5 of the terrorism charges.
- Count 2 (Aiding and Abetting): The court established that both women aided and abetted Battujo’s terrorist operations by passing information to him during phone conversations. This offense is punishable under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
- Count 5 (Concealing Information): Safiya Salihu, the mother of the deceased kingpin, pleaded guilty to concealing critical information regarding her son’s terrorist operations.
- Count 4 (Failure to Disclose Weapons): Halima Abdullahi (Abdullah) admitted to failing to disclose that her brother had illegally acquired firearms, which she had personally observed while visiting him at his forest hideout.
Discharged Counts
While they were convicted on the other charges, Justice Yilwa discharged both women on Counts 1 and 3. These counts had accused the women of:
- Receiving ₦490,300 from the terrorist kingpin.
- Using the proceeds of terrorism to sponsor a pilgrimage.
Legal Representation and Prosecution
The prosecution was led by the Director of Public Prosecution, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN. During the trial, Oyedepo urged the court to strike out certain counts while insisting on convictions for the remaining charges, a request that the court ultimately upheld.
Source: Africa Publicity
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