Reported By Mary Udezue | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
A High Court sitting in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, has sentenced three men to death by hanging after finding them guilty of armed robbery and criminal conspiracy in a case that has drawn public attention to Nigeria’s enforcement of harsh penalties for violent crime. The ruling was delivered on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, by Justice Hassan Shehu‑Kuwa of High Court No. 7.
The three convicts — Abdul Mohammed (also known as Audu Dukku), Surajo Umar (Liman), and Aliyu Abdullahi — were convicted on nine counts including armed robbery and criminal conspiracy after a trial that lasted more than one year. They were first arraigned on November 17, 2023, under the provisions of Sections 1(2)(a) and 6(b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, 2004, and Section 304 of the Kebbi State Penal Code Law, 2021.
During the proceedings, the prosecution, led by Farida Muhammad, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions at the Kebbi State Ministry of Justice, presented evidence through eight witnesses, including victims and community figures. Among the evidence accepted by the court were a cutlass, a pair of rubber shoes, a plasma television set, ₦2.85 million in cash, a black cap, and the defendants’ confessional statements recorded in both Hausa and English.
Justice Shehu‑Kuwa, delivering judgment, held that the testimonies from key prosecution witnesses were credible, consistent and corroborated, and that they had not been effectively challenged during cross‑examination. He noted that the defendants chose not to call independent witnesses or tender exhibits in their defence, relying instead on their own testimony after pleading not guilty.
Having established that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, the judge pronounced the mandatory death sentence as prescribed under the applicable laws. The court emphasised that only the Governor of Kebbi State, Dr. Nasir Idris, has the constitutional authority to consider any plea for mercy or clemency following the imposition of the sentence.
Defence counsel Barrister C. C. Ojun had appealed to the court for leniency, pointing to past cases where death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment or lesser penalties. However, the judge reiterated that the court was bound by statute to apply the prescribed punishment and that considerations of clemency fall within the executive remit of the state governor.
The sentencing underscores Nigeria’s continued use of the death penalty for armed robbery, particularly under federal and state statutes aimed at deterring violent crime. Cases involving armed robbery in Nigeria frequently attract capital punishment, reflecting the severity with which the justice system treats offences that involve the use of weapons and threats to public safety.
As the verdict stands, the convicts remain on death row pending any appeal to higher courts and potential executive clemency. The decision has renewed discussions about the application of mandatory death sentences in Nigeria’s criminal justice system and the role of gubernatorial pardons in such cases.
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