In a significant victory for Nigeria's counter-terrorism efforts, the Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Hussaini Ismaila, a prominent leader of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), to 20 years imprisonment for coordinating multiple terrorist attacks in Kano State.
Court Delivers Justice After Lengthy Legal Process
Justice Emeka Nwite pronounced the judgement on Tuesday, following Ismaila's guilty plea to a four-count terrorism charge brought by the Department of State Services (DSS). The defendant, also known as Mai Tangaran, had initially pleaded not guilty during his arraignment but changed his plea after the testimony of the fifth prosecution witness.
The prosecution established that Ismaila coordinated the devastating 2012 attacks on multiple security facilities in Kano State, including the Police Headquarters in Bompai, Mobile Police Base on Kabuga Road, Pharm Centre Police Station, and Angwa Uku Police Station. These coordinated assaults resulted in numerous injuries among security personnel and civilians.
Legal Journey Marked by Delays and Challenges
The path to justice faced several obstacles since Ismaila's arrest on 31 August 2017 at Tsamiyya Babba Village in Gezewa Local Government Area of Kano State. The trial experienced significant delays due to appeals and the conduct of a trial-within-trial, primarily to determine the voluntariness of the defendant's extrajudicial statements.
When proceedings eventually commenced, the prosecution presented five witnesses, including two DSS officials and two eyewitnesses to some of the attacks. The evidence presented proved compelling enough to convince Ismaila to change his plea to guilty.
Sentencing and Rehabilitation Order
Following the conviction, the defendant's lawyer, P. B. Onijah from the Legal Aid Council, pleaded for leniency, arguing that Ismaila had shown remorse, changed his plea to save court time, and expressed regret for his involvement in terrorism activities.
Justice Nwite found Ismaila guilty on all counts and sentenced him to 15 years for count one and 20 years each for counts two, three, and four. The judge ordered that the sentences run concurrently and that the prison term should be calculated from the date of his arrest in August 2017.
In a significant rehabilitation directive, Justice Nwite ordered that the Controller-General of the Correctional Service confine Ismaila at any prison of choice and ensure he undergoes both rehabilitation and deradicalization programs after serving his sentence before reintegration into society.
This judgement represents a major achievement for the DSS in its prosecution of terrorism cases and sends a strong message about Nigeria's commitment to combating insurgency through both judicial measures and rehabilitation programs.
