By Peter Omopo
The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced two women linked to the activities of a notorious terrorist leader, Kachallah Ibrahim Battujo, to 40 years imprisonment for terrorism-related offences.
The convicts, Safiya Salihu and Halima Abdullahi, who are the mother and sister of the late terrorist kingpin, were sentenced on Friday by Justice Hauwa Joseph Yilwa after pleading guilty to multiple charges brought against them by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
Battujo, a notorious bandit leader, was reportedly killed by Nigerian security forces on June 10, 2026, during a military operation in a forest near Iluke in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The prosecution, led by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Oyedepo Rotimi, SAN, secured convictions against the two women on charges bordering on aiding and abetting terrorism as well as concealing information about terrorist activities.
According to court documents, both women admitted to aiding the activities of Battujo by relaying information to him through telephone conversations, an offence punishable under Section 26 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In addition, Safiya Salihu was convicted for concealing information about her son’s terrorist activities, while Halima Abdullahi was found guilty of withholding information regarding her brother’s possession of illegal firearms, despite having seen the weapons during a visit to his forest camp.
The court, however, struck out two counts relating to the receipt of N490,300 allegedly derived from proceeds of terrorism and sponsorship for the Hajj pilgrimage allegedly funded through terrorism proceeds. The prosecution had requested that the charges be withdrawn, while seeking convictions on the remaining counts.
Justice Yilwa subsequently imposed a 20-year prison sentence on each count for which the defendants were convicted. The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently, resulting in an effective jail term of 40 years. The judge also directed that the convicts undergo rehabilitation upon completion of their prison terms.
The charges stemmed from investigations by the Department of State Services (DSS), which alleged that the two women knowingly maintained contact with the terrorist leader, provided assistance to his operations and failed to disclose information that could have aided security agencies in apprehending him.
Security authorities described the convictions as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle support networks linked to terrorism and banditry across the country. The judgment marks another significant prosecution under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, as authorities intensify actions against individuals accused of facilitating terrorist activities either directly or indirectly.
The convictions follow a series of recent terrorism-related court victories secured by Nigerian security agencies, underscoring the government’s determination to prosecute not only perpetrators of violent crimes but also those who provide support, conceal information or otherwise assist criminal and terrorist networks.
