Kabiru Umar Sokoto, a convicted Boko Haram bomber, has appealed his life sentence for the 2011 Christmas Day bombing of St Theresa Catholic Church in Madalla, Niger State. The appeal was filed by his counsel, Don Akaegbu & Company, before the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal, seeking leave to file the notice of appeal out of time.
Conviction and Sentence
Sokoto was convicted on December 20, 2013, by a Federal High Court in Abuja and sentenced to life imprisonment for the attack, which killed at least 37 people and injured dozens. The bombing was one of the deadliest attacks by Boko Haram at the time.
Reasons for Delay
In the application dated May 13, 2026, Sokoto argued that the delay in filing the appeal was due to prolonged incarceration, repeated transfers between custodial facilities, and the deaths of two lawyers previously handling his case. The court filing stated: “The delay was not deliberate but occasioned by circumstances beyond the control of the Applicant.”
According to the motion, Sokoto’s trial counsel had initiated the appeal process before his death, while another lawyer later engaged also died before prosecuting the matter. The application became necessary after the constitutional 90-day period for criminal appeals had elapsed.
Health and Family Concerns
An affidavit filed by Lawal Suleiman, a nephew of the convict, stated that Sokoto’s health had deteriorated significantly during his incarceration at the Maximum Security Custodial Facility in Kirikiri, Lagos. He said the family had difficulties locating him at the facility during a visit in March 2026.
“The conditions of a maximum security custodial facility, combined with his prolonged incarceration, have taken a visible and grievous toll on his physical and psychological well-being,” the affidavit read. Suleiman also said the convict remained anxious about the health of his aged parents and maintained his innocence of the charges.
Grounds for Appeal
The proposed appeal is anchored on 12 grounds, with Sokoto asking the appellate court to overturn his conviction and acquit him of the charges brought by the federal government. He argued that the trial court wrongly convicted him under provisions of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Act, which he described as unrelated to terrorism offences.
Sokoto also contended that the prosecution failed to establish any direct link between him and terrorist activities allegedly carried out in Mabira, Sokoto State, between 2007 and 2012. “The prosecution failed to adduce credible and direct evidence establishing that the Appellant committed or facilitated any of the acts of terrorism particularised in the charge,” the notice of appeal stated.
Background of the Case
Sokoto was arrested in January 2012 after security operatives linked him to the Christmas Day bombing. Authorities had also alleged at the time that he was planning to kidnap the children of Kashim Shettima, who was then governor of Borno State. He was initially arrested at the Borno governor’s lodge in Abuja before escaping from police custody and later being rearrested in Taraba State.
