BREAKING: Court Sentences 3 Terrorists To Death By Hanging

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three convicted terrorists to death by hanging after they pleaded guilty to terrorism-related offences during the ongoing mass trial of terrorism suspects prosecuted by the Federal Government.

According to judicial proceedings monitored by Ireporter Online, the convicts, identified as Danladi Lawal, Abdullahi Mohammed and Mohammed Gulama Shaibu, received the death sentence following their admission of guilt to charges bordering on terrorism and related crimes.

Danladi Lawal, 33, popularly known as Dankawu, was sentenced by Justice James Omotosho after pleading guilty to a five-count charge. The court imposed 30 years’ imprisonment on the first count, 15 years on the second, life imprisonment on the third, death by hanging on the fourth, and life imprisonment on the fifth count. Delivering the judgment, Justice Omotosho remarked, “May God have mercy on you.”

Court records showed that Lawal and several accomplices still at large were accused of abducting an elderly resident of Maikaho village in Jibya Local Government Area of Katsina State in 2020. The victim was reportedly held in a forest hideout in Ilela for four days while his captors demanded a ransom of ₦950,000 from his family. Prosecutors also alleged that Lawal received ₦450,000 from the ransom proceeds, with the crime contributing to heightened fear and insecurity within the affected community under the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention Amendment) Act 2013.

In separate proceedings, Justice Salim Ibrahim sentenced Abdullahi Mohammed and Mohammed Gulama Shaibu to death by hanging after both defendants pleaded guilty to terrorism charges. Mohammed admitted guilt to a one-count charge, while Shaibu pleaded guilty to a two-count charge and was handed a death sentence on the first count alongside life imprisonment on the second.

The court also sentenced Mohammed Dezami Sherife to life imprisonment on counts two, six and eight of a 10-count charge after he entered a guilty plea.

In another related case, Justice James Omotosho sentenced Shamsudeen Muhammad Ibrahim, also known as Abu Harira, to life imprisonment on one count and 35 years’ imprisonment on another after finding him guilty of offences linked to terrorism. He was accused of supporting ISWAP by participating in terrorist training sessions and receiving extremist sermons, as well as failing to disclose information about the activities of ISWAP and Ansaru to security authorities.

Justice Emeka Nwite also convicted Lawi Abubakar Mohammed, sentencing him to 20 years’ imprisonment on each of two counts after he pleaded guilty. The judge ordered that the sentences run consecutively, resulting in a total jail term of 40 years. He further directed that the convict undergo rehabilitation and deradicalisation programmes upon completing his sentence before reintegration into society.