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Sokoto Court Sentences Three, Including Nigerien National, To Death For Terrorism, Arms Trafficking
The court also ordered that all monetary exhibits recovered from the convicts during investigations be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Sokoto State– A Sokoto State High Court has sentenced three men, including a citizen of the Republic of Niger, to death by hanging after finding them guilty of terrorism-related offences and illegal arms trafficking.
The convicts — Yusuf Muhammad, also known as Sallau, a Nigerien national, Jabbi Alhaji Yalle, and Kabiru Muhammad — were arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) Counter Terrorism Unit on June 13, 2025, over their alleged involvement in cross-border criminal activities linked to terrorism and arms proliferation.
The judgment was delivered by Justice Muhammad Nuraddeen Bello of High Court No. 23, Sokoto, in suit number SS/45c/2026.
Delivering the verdict, Justice Bello held that the prosecution had successfully established its case against the defendants and consequently sentenced all three to death by hanging.
The court also ordered that all monetary exhibits recovered from the convicts during investigations be forfeited to the Federal Government.
According to the court, the convictions represent another milestone in ongoing efforts by security agencies to dismantle terrorist networks and disrupt the flow of illegal weapons across Nigeria’s borders.
“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,” Justice Bello stated during the proceedings.
The ruling comes barely two weeks after the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced five terrorism suspects to 25 years imprisonment each for their roles in the November 21, 2025 attack on St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State.
In that case, Justice Binta Nyako convicted the suspects after they pleaded guilty to four terrorism-related charges filed against them by the Federal Government.
The offences included providing support for acts of terrorism, contrary to provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, as well as violations of the Firearms Act.
Court documents showed that the suspects conspired to facilitate the movement of 15 AK-103 rifles and approximately 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition from the Diffa Region of the Republic of Niger to one Malam Ahmad, alleged to be a member of the Boko Haram terrorist group operating in Borgu area of Niger State.
The prosecution argued that the actions constituted material support for terrorism and violated Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The DSS had arrested the suspects at different locations following intelligence-led operations.
