The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced five men to 25 years' imprisonment each for providing logistical and arms support to Boko Haram terrorists operating in Niger State, North-central Nigeria. The convicts are Yusuf Muhammad (also known as Bature), Goni Ibrahim Bindi (also known as Goni Mutuwa), Sani Tukur (also known as Danladi), Mubarak Ibrahim, and Musa Alhaji Adamu (also known as Gado Banufe).
Justice Binta Nyako handed down the verdict on Thursday after the convicts pleaded guilty to four charges of terrorism, unlawful possession of firearms, and providing support to a terrorist organization.
Prosecution Evidence and Conviction
Before delivering the judgment, the judge permitted the prosecution to tender a cache of arms and ammunition recovered from the defendants. The prosecution, led by Rotimi Oyedepo, Director of Public Prosecutions and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, presented 15 AK-103 rifles with magazines and 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition. It also submitted a forwarding letter, the investigation report, and the defendants' statements.
The defense, led by Akilahyel Shetima, raised no objection, allowing Justice Nyako to admit the items as exhibits and convict the defendants. She ruled that their admissions, along with the evidence, established their knowing participation in transporting firearms and supporting individuals linked to terrorist activities.
Sentencing Details
With the judge's permission, the defense lawyer pleaded for mercy. Subsequently, the prosecution applied to forfeit a Volkswagen car used to transport arms to the federal government. The judge granted the request and sentenced each convict to 25 years on count one. She also sentenced the third defendant, Sani Tukur; the fourth defendant, Mubarak Ibrahim; and the fifth defendant, Musa Alhaji Adamu, to seven years on other counts. The first defendant, Yusuf Muhammad, received 25 years on count four.
The judge ordered the sentences to run concurrently from the date of arrest, meaning all five convicts will serve 25 years. She directed that they serve their terms at a location designated by the Minister of Interior. Additionally, the exhibits recovered were forfeited to the federal government.
Background of the Offenses
The prosecution stated that the convicts committed the offenses between April 23 and 24, when they conspired to assist a terrorist by transporting 15 AK-103 rifles and 1,434 rounds of ammunition from the Diffa region in the Republic of Niger to one Malam Ahmad, a Boko Haram member in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
Link to School Attack
The case traces back to the November 21, 2025, attack on St. Mary's Catholic School in Papiri, where armed men on motorcycles stormed the school, abducting over 250 students and teachers. About 50 students escaped. The captives were held in the Kainji Lake Reserve Forest until rescuers freed them on December 24, 2025. The State Security Service (SSS) investigation into the attack led to the arrest of the five defendants.
Cross-Border Arms Movement
The indictment alleged that the accused conspired to transport weapons from the Diffa Region, which borders northeastern Nigeria and is part of the Lake Chad Basin insurgency corridor. The weapons were concealed inside sacks of dried fish and loaded into a blue Volkswagen Golf 3 with Nigerien registration number BT 9990 DA. The defendants were arrested on April 24 at the Kwangila area along the Kano–Kaduna Expressway in Zaria, Kaduna State.
The federal government accused Yusuf Muhammad of withholding information that could have helped locate Malam Ahmad, who was hiding in Gandu Forest. The offenses contravene Sections 13(1) and 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Legal Proceedings
The defendants initially pleaded not guilty but later changed their pleas. Following their guilty pleas, Justice Nyako convicted and sentenced them. The court also ordered the forfeiture of the Volkswagen Golf to the federal government. The convictions followed SSS investigations into the school attack, which uncovered a wider logistics and arms supply network.
