A High Court in Sokoto State has sentenced three men, including a Nigerien national, to death by hanging after convicting them on terrorism and arms proliferation charges.
The convicts, Yusuf Muhammad (alias Sallau), a Nigerien; Jabbi Alhaji Yalle; and Kabiru Muhammad, were arrested on June 13, 2025, by the Department of State Services Counter Terrorism Unit over alleged cross-border arms trafficking and terrorism activities.
Justice Muhammad Nuraddeen Bello of High Court No. 23, Sokoto, delivered the judgment in case number SS/45c/2026.
The judge found all three defendants guilty and sentenced them to death by hanging. He also ordered the forfeiture of all money recovered from the convicts to the Federal Government.
“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 said.
The judgment comes about two weeks after the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced five suspects arrested by the DSS on May 31, 2026, over the November 21, 2025, attack on St Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, Niger State, to 25 years’ imprisonment each.
Justice Binta Nyako imposed the sentences after the defendants, including two Nigeriens, pleaded guilty to four terrorism-related charges.
The charges included supporting the commission of terrorism under Section 16 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and offences under the Firearms Act.
According to Count One, the defendants conspired to assist a terrorist by arranging the transportation of 15 AK-103 rifles and about 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition from the Diffa region of the Republic of Niger to one Malam Ahmad, identified as a member of the Boko Haram terrorist group operating in Borgu, Niger State. The prosecution said the act contravened Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The DSS arrested the suspects at different locations before their prosecution.