Abuja Court Sentences Mother, Sister Of Late Terror Kingpin To 40 Years Over Alleged Terrorism Support
By Trek Africa Newspaper
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday delivered a major ruling in a terrorism-related case, sentencing two women linked to the family of a deceased terror suspect to a combined 40 years in prison.
The judgment was delivered at the premises of the Federal High Court, Abuja after a lengthy trial that drew attention due to the identities of the accused and the nature of the allegations against them.
The convicts, identified as the mother and sister of the late suspected terrorist kingpin known as Battujo, were found guilty of offences bordering on terrorism support and related criminal activity.
They were earlier arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services following intelligence-led operations targeting suspected remnants of an extremist network.
Court proceedings revealed that the prosecution relied on intelligence reports, recovered materials, and witness accounts to establish alleged connections between the defendants and ongoing terror-linked operations.
Although the principal suspect, Battujo, was reportedly eliminated in a previous security operation, the court heard arguments suggesting that elements of his network continued to function through close associates and relatives.
The prosecution maintained that the defendants played supportive roles within that network, allegedly facilitating activities considered critical to sustaining extremist operations.
The defence team, however, strongly opposed the claims, arguing that the accused persons were being unfairly associated with terrorism solely because of their familial relationship with the deceased suspect.
They further insisted that no direct operational involvement had been conclusively proven, urging the court to dismiss the charges for lack of sufficient evidence.
Despite these arguments, the presiding judge held that the prosecution had presented credible and sufficient evidence linking the defendants to offences under Nigeria’s terrorism laws.
In delivering the ruling, the court imposed a 40-year prison sentence, describing the offences as serious enough to warrant a strong punitive response aimed at deterrence.
Security operatives present in the courtroom immediately moved in to take custody of the convicts following the conclusion of proceedings.
Observers noted that the atmosphere in the courtroom became tense as the sentence was read out, marking a decisive moment in the case.
Authorities familiar with the prosecution described the judgment as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle residual structures of terrorist organisations beyond their leadership figures.
They added that investigations into wider networks allegedly connected to the case are still ongoing, with additional prosecutions not ruled out.
As the case concludes at the trial stage, legal representatives are expected to consider possible appeal options while the convicts begin their prison terms under the court’s order.
