A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday sentenced Safiya Salihu and Halima Abdullahi, the mother and sister of slain bandit leader, Ibrahim Battujo, to 40 years imprisonment each for supporting his terrorist activities.
Justice Hauwa Yilwa handed down the sentences after both women pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges instituted against them by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
Battujo was killed by security operatives on June 10, 2026, after a failed attempt to carry out a mass abduction and attack on students sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination in a forest area near Iluke in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The two women were found guilty on three of the five counts brought against them, including aiding Battujo’s operations by relaying information to him through telephone communications, contrary to Section 26 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Safiya, the mother, was also convicted for withholding information about her son’s activities despite visiting his camp in the forest and seeing him with firearms.
Halima, the sister, was convicted on a separate count for concealing information that could have assisted security agencies in arresting him.
The counts partly read, “That you HALIMA ABDULLAHI and SAFIYA SALIHU, female adults of Dungun Muaza, Sabuwa LGA, Katsina State, sometime in 2026 at Katsina State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence when you received the sum of four hundred and ninety thousand, three hundred naira only (N490,300) from Battujo, a known terrorist, which sum you reasonably ought to know formed part of the proceeds of terrorism, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
“That you HALIMA ABDULLAHI and SAFIYA SALIHU, female adults of Dungun Muaza, Sabuwa LGA, Katsina State, sometime in 2026 at Katsina State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence when you aided and abetted the activities of Battujo, a known bandit kingpin, and passed information through telephone conversations to the said Battujo, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 26 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
The defendants admitted guilt to counts two, four and five of the five-count terrorism-related charge filed against them by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, leading to their conviction.
However, the court struck out counts one and three, which alleged that they received N490,300 from Battujo while knowing the money originated from terrorist proceeds, following an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Oyedepo Rotimi, SAN.
Although each count attracts a 20-year prison term, Justice Yilwa directed that the sentences run concurrently.
Both convicts will also undergo rehabilitation after serving their jail terms.
