The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday handed down death sentences to three convicted terrorists and life imprisonment to two others for terrorism-related offences.
All five convicts pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them by the Federal Government through Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
Justice James Omotosho sentenced Danladi Lawal, 33, also known as Dankawu, after he pleaded guilty to a five-count charge marked FHC/KNJ/CR/956/2026. The judge imposed a 30-year term on count one, 15 years on count two, life imprisonment on counts three and five, and death by hanging on count four. “May God have mercy on you,” Justice Omotosho said after delivering the sentence.
The death sentence on count four stemmed from an incident in 2020 in which Lawal and others at large abducted an elderly man, held him for four days in a bush hideout in Ilela, and demanded N950,000 ransom from his family. The count five life sentence related to his receipt of N450,000 from the ransom proceeds. Both offences were charged under the Terrorism (Prevention and Amendment) Act, 2013.
In separate proceedings, Justice Salim Ibrahim sentenced Abdullahi Mohammed and Mohammed Gulama Shaibu to death by hanging after both pleaded guilty to their respective charges. Mohammed faced a one-count charge marked FHC/KNJ/CR/245/2026, while Shaibu pleaded guilty to a two-count charge marked FHC/KNJ/CR/329/2026 — receiving death on count one and life imprisonment on count two.
Justice Ibrahim also sentenced Mohammed Sherife to life imprisonment on counts two, six, and eight of a 10-count charge in case number FHC/KNJ/CR/1248/2026, after he too entered a guilty plea.
In related proceedings, Justice Omotosho sentenced Shamsudeen Muhammad Ibrahim, also known as Abu Harira, to life imprisonment on count one and 35 years imprisonment on count two, with the latter sentence running from June 18. Ibrahim, from Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna State, was convicted of providing support to ISWAP by receiving training and sermons from an Al-Qaeda operative, and for failing to disclose information about ISWAP and ANSARU activities to security authorities. The offences were charged under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Separately, Justice Emeka Nwite sentenced Lawi Abubakar Mohammed to 20 years imprisonment each on two counts to which he pleaded guilty, with both terms running consecutively from the date of his arrest — totalling 40 years. The judge ordered that Mohammed undergo rehabilitation and deradicalisation before being released upon completion of his sentence.
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