Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
More than twelve years after he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2011 Christmas Day bombing of St. Theresa Catholic Church in Madalla, Niger State, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has granted Kabiru Umar, popularly known as Kabiru Sokoto, a fresh 21-day window to formally pursue an appeal against his conviction.
The decision was contained in an enrolled order of the appellate court dated August 20, 2026, in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CR/619M1/2026. The ruling follows an application filed by Sokoto on May 13, 2026, seeking an extension of time to appeal the judgment delivered by the Federal High Court on December 20, 2013.
A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal granted the application in terms of prayers 1 and 3, extending the time for Sokoto to appeal against the judgment. The appellant is now required to file his Notice and Grounds of Appeal within 21 days.
Sokoto was convicted on December 20, 2013, by Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court in Abuja and sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in the bombing, which killed at least 37 worshippers and injured 57 others. He had been charged with terrorism-related offences.
In the application for extension of time, Sokoto's counsel argued that the delay in filing the appeal was caused by circumstances beyond his control, including prolonged incarceration, repeated transfers across custodial centres, and the deaths of his lawyers. According to the filing, the trial counsel had initiated steps toward appeal but died before perfecting the process. Another counsel later engaged also passed away before prosecuting the appeal. A letter written by the trial counsel requesting compilation of records exists, but the appeal was not completed.
In an affidavit supporting the motion, the convict's nephew, Lawal Suleiman, said the family struggled to locate Sokoto during a visit to the Kirikiri Maximum Security Custodial Facility, Lagos, in March 2026. Suleiman also claimed Sokoto's health had deteriorated significantly due to long incarceration and harsh conditions in custody.
Sokoto is asking the appellate court to set aside his conviction and acquit him, arguing that the prosecution failed to prove any direct link between him and the offences charged. He also contended that the trial court wrongly convicted him under provisions of the EFCC Act, which he described as unrelated to terrorism offences. In his notice of appeal, he argued that the trial judge erred in holding that the prosecution discharged its burden of proof beyond reasonable doubt.
The Madalla bombing, which occurred on December 25, 2011, was claimed by Boko Haram. Authorities had also alleged at the time that Sokoto was planning to kidnap the children of Kashim Shettima, then-governor of Borno State. He was initially arrested at the Borno governor's lodge in Abuja before escaping from police custody and later being rearrested in Taraba State. His escape prompted then-President Goodluck Jonathan to issue a 24-hour ultimatum to the then-Inspector General of Police to produce the suspect.
The Court of Appeal's decision grants Sokoto a fresh opportunity to challenge a conviction that has kept him behind bars for over a decade. With the 21-day window now open, the legal battle over the Madalla bombing is far from over.
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