The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced four terrorists involved in Boko Haram attacks across Borno State between 2021 and 2024 to life imprisonment. The ruling came after the convicts pleaded guilty to charges brought by the Federal Government, supported by testimony from a Department of State Services (DSS) witness.
Justice James Omotosho delivered the judgment on Wednesday, also sentencing 14 other terrorism convicts to varying jail terms of 20 to 25 years per charge. The Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, led the prosecution team alongside Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation.
The convicts’ confessional statements and DSS investigation reports were admitted as evidence during the trial. Those sentenced to life imprisonment include Ali Abiso, Bakura Abah Kabiru, Ado (aka Luka Garba), and Babagoni Masawai.
Ali Abiso, facing a four-count charge (FHC/KNJ/CR/509/2026), pleaded guilty to all counts. Justice Omotosho sentenced him to life imprisonment for counts two and four, and 25 years for counts one and three, to run concurrently. The judge emphasized that Abiso’s guilty plea, corroborated by his confessional statement, left the court “satisfied that the prosecution established the charges beyond reasonable doubt.”
Abiso, a 30-year-old from Bama Local Government Area, was implicated in Boko Haram attacks in Bama, Gwoza, Konduga, Bita, Baza, and Aulari on July 8, 2022, in violation of Section 17 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Similarly, Bakura Abah Kabiru received life imprisonment for count two and 25-year terms for counts one and three. Ado (aka Luka Garba) was sentenced to life in count two and 25 years in count one. Babagoni Masawai received life terms in counts six and seven, 20 years in counts one and two, and 10 years for counts three, four, and five.
Fourteen other convicts, including Ali Mustapha, Danbawa Salisu, Modu Ali, Sanda Bello, and others, were sentenced to various terms after pleading guilty. Ali Mustapha, for instance, received 20 years for count one and 10 years for counts two to seven, to run concurrently following a plea for leniency.
In a separate ruling, Justice Musa Liman ordered the release of Amina Audu, who had pleaded guilty to providing logistical support to Boko Haram. Audu, an orphan whose husband was killed by Boko Haram four years ago, had requested leniency to care for her eight children. She was sentenced to one year imprisonment, which she had already served since her arrest on April 8, 2024, and was immediately released.