A federal high court in Kogi State has sentenced the mother and sister of slain bandit leader Battujo to 20 years imprisonment each for aiding terrorism and concealing information about his criminal activities.
Justice Hauwa Yilwa handed down the sentence on Friday after the defendants, Safiya Salihu and Halima Abdullahi, pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges filed by the office of the attorney-general of the federation (AGF).
How They Were Nabbed
The Department of State Services (DSS) arrested the women following investigations into Battujo’s activities. The bandit leader was killed by security forces on June 10 during an operation in a forest near Iluke in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Charges and Guilty Plea
During proceedings, Rotimi Oyedepo, director of public prosecutions of the federation, applied to withdraw two of the five counts against the defendants.
The charges alleged that:
· The women received N490,300 from Battujo despite knowing the money was linked to terrorism
· They accepted sponsorship from him for the hajj pilgrimage using funds suspected to be proceeds of terrorist activities
· They aided and abetted Battujo by passing information to him through telephone conversations
· They concealed information that could have helped security agencies apprehend the bandit leader
According to the prosecution, one defendant failed to report knowledge of Battujo’s activities to law enforcement, while the other withheld information after visiting his forest camp and seeing him in possession of firearms.
The Sentence
Justice Yilwa sentenced each defendant to 20 years imprisonment on the counts to which they pleaded guilty, ordering that the sentences run concurrently. The judge also directed that the convicts undergo rehabilitation after serving their prison terms.
Who Was Battujo?
Battujo was among the bandit leaders operating across parts of north-west and north-central Nigeria before he was neutralized in a military operation earlier this month. His death marked a significant victory for security forces battling banditry in the region.
