Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced the mother and sister of the late terrorist kingpin, Kachallah Ibrahim Battujo, to 40 years in prison for aiding and abetting his criminal activities, including passing information to him via telephone and concealing information about his terrorist operations.
Justice Hauwa Joseph Yilwa handed down the sentences on Friday, June 19, 2026, after the two women, Safiya Salihu (the mother) and Halima Abdullahi (the sister), pleaded guilty to counts two, four and five of a five-count terrorism-related charge brought against them by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation. The court struck out counts one and three following an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mr. Oyedepo Rotimi (SAN).
The convicted women were arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) during investigations into the activities and support network of the slain terrorist leader, who was eliminated by Nigerian security forces on June 10, 2026, during an operation in a forest near Iluke in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State. Battujo was killed following a failed mass abduction and attack on students writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Iluke community.
According to the charges, count two stated that both women aided and abetted the activities of Battujo by passing information to him through telephone conversations, an act contrary to and punishable under Section 26 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. Count four detailed that Safiya Salihu committed an offence by concealing information about the activities of Battujo when she visited his forest camp and saw him in possession of firearms, an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 16 of the Act. Count five outlined that Halima Abdullahi committed a similar offence by concealing information about the terrorist activities of her brother, which she reportedly saw during a visit to his forest camp.
The court struck out count one, which alleged that the women received N490,300 from Battujo, knowing it was proceeds of terrorism, and count three, which accused them of undertaking a Hajj pilgrimage sponsored with funds linked to terrorist activities. While the statutory punishment for each of the convicted counts is 20 years, Justice Yilwa ordered that the sentences run concurrently, meaning each convict will serve a total of 20 years in prison. The judge further directed that the convicts undergo rehabilitation after serving their prison terms.
The convictions are seen as part of ongoing efforts by security agencies and the Federal Government to dismantle terrorism networks and prosecute individuals found to be aiding or concealing terrorist activities. The DSS had arrested the women during investigations into the activities and support network of the slain terrorist leader. The case highlights the broader strategy of the Nigerian government to hold not just the perpetrators of violence accountable, but also those who provide logistical, financial, or informational support to terrorist networks, even when those individuals are family members of the principal offenders.
The sentencing of the mother and sister of a notorious terrorist kingpin sends a strong signal that the government is prepared to prosecute anyone, regardless of their relationship to the principal offender, who aids or abets terrorism in any form. As the Federal Government continues its mass prosecution of terrorism suspects, this verdict serves as a warning that aiding and abetting terrorists, whether through financial support, concealment of information, or logistical assistance, carries severe penalties under Nigerian law.
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