Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Justice Binta Fatimah Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a 55-year-old farmer, Ali Mustapha, to 15 years’ imprisonment without the option of a fine for concealing information about Boko Haram operations in his remote village of Katara, Borno State. The conviction, handed down on Monday, June 15, 2026, came on the same day the Federal Government launched a fresh phase of mass terrorism trials, arraigning more than 600 suspects before 10 judges at the Federal High Court complex in Abuja.
Mustapha, who had been in custody since 2013, was arraigned by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and pleaded guilty to the terrorism-related charge. The prosecution told the court that the farmer failed to disclose information regarding Boko Haram activities within his community, an offence under Nigeria’s counter-terrorism laws. Justice Nyako took judicial notice of the convict’s claim that there were no government officials or security agencies in his remote village to whom he could report the insurgents’ activities. Nevertheless, she held that the law still places a responsibility on citizens to report criminal activities where possible. The judge ordered that the 15-year jail term should commence from 2013, the year Mustapha was arrested and detained, meaning he has already served a significant portion of his sentence.
The farmer’s conviction was one of several handed down during the mass terrorism trials, which the Federal Government described as a firm stance against insecurity and a decision not to treat terrorism lightly. Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, who led the prosecution team, told journalists that about 490 suspects were being tried on Monday, while 84 others were scheduled for arraignment the following day. He added that the figure did not include 102 suspects carried over from a previous phase, putting the total number of suspects in the current phase at more than 600. According to the AGF, 10 judges are dedicated solely to terrorism trials, scheduled to run for four days from Monday.
In a separate case before the same judge, the court sentenced Isa Isiaka, a father of 11 children and husband of two wives, to 20 years’ imprisonment for failing to disclose information that could have aided the arrest of Boko Haram members. Isiaka pleaded guilty after the charge was read to him and urged the court to temper justice with mercy, citing his family responsibilities and status as a first-time offender. Justice Nyako rejected the plea and imposed a 20-year prison sentence without the option of a fine. In another case, the court sentenced a Maiduguri businessman, Umar Bashir, to 20 years’ imprisonment for terrorism financing. Bashir, who described himself as a perfume oil dealer and point-of-sale operator, admitted using his bank account to facilitate a N5 million transaction involving a Boko Haram member. According to court prosecution, he received the money into his account and later transferred it to another account linked to the terrorist group, earning a commission of N20,000. After pleading guilty, Bashir was convicted and sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment by Justice Nyako, with the judge directing that the sentence should take effect from 2025, the year of his arrest and detention.
Mustapha’s conviction comes at a time when Nigeria is experiencing renewed security challenges across several regions, including escalating attacks and kidnappings in both the North and the South. In recent weeks, the country has witnessed a wave of violent incidents, including the abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State and other kidnapping cases in parts of the South-West and North-Central regions. Communities across states such as Ogun, Ondo, Niger and Kaduna have also reported renewed attacks by armed groups, raising concerns over the spread and mobility of criminal networks. Security analysts say the incidents highlight the continued threat posed by insurgents in the North-East and armed bandits in other regions, who often exploit weak surveillance in rural and forested areas. The conviction adds to a series of terrorism-related judgments delivered by the Federal High Court in recent years as Nigeria continues its counter-insurgency operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP factions in the North-East region.
The mass trials are part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to weaken insurgent networks in the North-East. Security agencies maintain that intelligence gathering and community cooperation remain critical in tackling extremist violence, particularly in hard-to-reach rural areas where state presence is limited. Authorities have continued to step up prosecutions of individuals linked to terrorism-related offences as part of efforts to dismantle the logistical and financial networks that sustain Boko Haram and ISWAP. The trials are being conducted simultaneously in several courtrooms at the Federal High Court complex, with many regular cases put on hold to allow judges to participate in the exercise.
The conviction of Ali Mustapha, a farmer from a remote village who had been in custody for over a decade, underscores the complex reality of counter-terrorism in Nigeria’s North-East. While his sentence sends a strong message that concealing information about terrorist activities carries severe consequences, the judge’s acknowledgment of his claim that there were no authorities to report to highlights the enduring governance vacuum in parts of Borno State. As the mass trials continue, the Federal Government has made it clear that it will not tolerate any form of support for terrorist groups, whether through active participation, financing, or silence. For Mustapha and others like him, the lesson is stark: in the fight against Boko Haram, silence is not an option, and the law will reach even the most remote villages.
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