Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A Sokoto State High Court has delivered a landmark judgment in the fight against terrorism and cross-border crime, sentencing three men, including a foreign national, to death by hanging for their roles in arms trafficking and terrorism-related activities. The convicted persons—Yusuf Muhammad (alias Sallau), a Nigerien national; Jabbi Alhaji Yalle; and Kabiru Muhammad—were found guilty on all charges brought against them by the Department of State Services (DSS), marking a significant victory for Nigeria's security apparatus in its sustained campaign against organised criminal networks operating across the country's porous borders.
The case, registered as SS/45c/2026, was heard before Justice Muhammad Nuraddeen Bello of High Court No. 23 in Sokoto. Delivering judgment on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, Justice Bello ruled that the prosecution had successfully established its case against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt. He subsequently sentenced all three convicts to death by hanging. The court also ordered the forfeiture of all monetary exhibits recovered from the convicts to the Federal Government.
The three men were apprehended on June 13, 2025, by the DSS Counter Terrorism Unit following an intelligence-led operation that uncovered their alleged involvement in cross-border criminal activities, including arms trafficking and terrorism. According to investigators, the suspects were part of a network involved in moving weapons and supporting criminal activities across international borders, particularly between Nigeria and the Niger Republic. Security officials said the arrests came after intelligence reports linked them to operations capable of undermining security within Nigeria and neighbouring countries.
Justice Bello, in his ruling, emphasised the severity of the crimes committed and the threat they posed to national security. “The conviction is the latest in a series of successful prosecutions by the DSS in its sustained operations against terrorism and organised cross-border criminal networks across Nigeria,” the judge declared. His remarks underscored the broader context of the case, which comes amid heightened security operations in Nigeria's North-West region, where banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism have displaced thousands and claimed countless lives.
The sentencing has been hailed by security analysts as a significant milestone in the fight against terrorism and arms proliferation. A security source familiar with the case noted that the judgment demonstrates the justice system's commitment to holding individuals accountable for actions that endanger public safety. Another official observed that the conviction would strengthen ongoing efforts to dismantle organised groups engaged in arms smuggling and terrorism-related activities, adding, “This outcome is expected to discourage criminal elements who exploit border communities for illegal operations. It reinforces the message that such crimes carry severe consequences”.
The Sokoto sentencing comes barely a week after a Federal High Court in Katsina sentenced a female arms courier, Hauwa'u Mukhtar, to death for transporting 438 rounds of ammunition to a bandit kingpin. It also follows the conviction of four individuals—Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, and Abdulhaleem Idris—who were sentenced to death by a Federal High Court in Abuja for their involvement in attacks that killed over 40 worshippers in Owo, Ondo State. Last week, a High Court of Kogi State sitting in Lokoja sentenced one Jibrin Halilu to death by hanging for conspiracy and the kidnapping and murder of a hotelier in Obajana. These cases collectively point to a coordinated effort by Nigerian security agencies and the judiciary to confront the scourge of terrorism and violent crime with the full weight of the law.
For the people of Sokoto and the wider North-West region, the judgment offers a measure of reassurance that the state is capable of delivering justice against those who threaten their safety. The DSS, which has been at the forefront of intelligence gathering and counter-terrorism operations, has described the conviction as a testament to the effectiveness of its sustained operations against organised cross-border criminal networks. As the convicts await the execution of their sentence, the case serves as a stark warning to criminal elements that Nigeria's security and judicial institutions are resolute in their determination to protect the nation's sovereignty and the lives of its citizens.
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