The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday convicted and sentenced three individuals to death by hanging for terrorism-related offenses. The verdicts were delivered during the ongoing mass trial of terrorism suspects at the court.
Sentences Handed Down
Justice James Omotosho sentenced Danladi Lawal to death by hanging, while Justice Salim Ibrahim imposed the same penalty on Abdullahi Mohammed and Mohammed Gulama Shaibu. All three pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them by the Federal Government.
Danladi Lawal's Conviction
Lawal, 33, also known as Dankawu, pleaded guilty to all five counts before Justice Omotosho. His sentences included 30 years imprisonment for count one, 15 years for count two, life imprisonment for count three, death by hanging for count four, and life imprisonment for count five. The judge remarked, "May God have mercy on you."
The Federal Government, represented by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, filed a five-count charge against Lawal. Count four, which carried the death penalty, involved the unlawful abduction and detention of an elderly man in Maikaho village, Jibya Local Government Area of Katsina State, in 2020. The convict and others at large held the victim for four days in a bush hideout at Ilela and demanded N950,000 ransom, causing fear and insecurity in the community. This offense violated Section 1(2) of the Terrorism (Prevention Amendment) Act 2013.
Count five, which resulted in life imprisonment, stated that Lawal knowingly received N450,000 from the ransom proceeds, contrary to Section 13 of the same Act.
Abdullahi Mohammed and Mohammed Gulama Shaibu
Justice Ibrahim separately sentenced Abdullahi Mohammed and Mohammed Gulama Shaibu to death after they pleaded guilty. Mohammed faced a single count, while Shaibu pleaded guilty to two counts. Shaibu received death for count one and life imprisonment for count two.
In a related case, Justice Ibrahim sentenced Mohammed Dezami Sherife to life imprisonment on counts two, six, and eight of a ten-count charge after his guilty plea.
Other Sentences
Justice Omotosho also sentenced Shamsudeen Muhammad Ibrahim, known as Abu Harira, to life imprisonment on count one and 35 years on another count, to run from June 18. Ibrahim, from Kaduna State, was convicted for supporting ISWAP by receiving training and sermons from an Al-Qaeda affiliate in 2022, contrary to Section 15(a) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022). He also failed to disclose information about terrorist activities, violating Section 16 of the same Act.
Justice Emeka Nwite sentenced Lawi Abubakar Mohammed to 20 years each on two counts, to run consecutively for a total of 40 years. The judge ordered that the term commence from the date of arrest and that the convict undergo rehabilitation and deradicalization before release.
