A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday sentenced Safiya Salihu and Halima Abdullahi, the mother and sister of slain terrorist kingpin, Ibrahim Battujo, to 40 years imprisonment each for aiding his terrorist operations.
Justice Hauwa Yilwa imposed the sentences after the two women admitted to terrorism-related offences filed against them by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
Battujo was killed by security forces on June 10, 2026, following a failed mass abduction and attack on students writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examination in a forest near Iluke in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The two women were convicted on three of the five counts, including aiding and abetting Battujo’s activities by passing information to him through telephone conversations, contrary to Section 26 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Safiya, the mother, was additionally convicted for concealing information about her son’s activities after visiting his forest camp and seeing him in possession of firearms.
Halima, the sister, was convicted on a separate count of concealing information that could have aided his apprehension.
The counts partly read, “That you HALIMA ABDULLAHI and SAFIYA SALIHU, female adults of Dungun Muaza, Sabuwa LGA, Katsina State, sometime in 2026 at Katsina State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence when you received the sum of four hundred and ninety thousand, three hundred naira only (N490,300) from Battujo, a known terrorist, which sum you reasonably ought to know formed part of the proceeds of terrorism, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
“That you HALIMA ABDULLAHI and SAFIYA SALIHU, female adults of Dungun Muaza, Sabuwa LGA, Katsina State, sometime in 2026 at Katsina State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence when you aided and abetted the activities of Battujo, a known bandit kingpin, and passed information through telephone conversations to the said Battujo, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 26 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
The defendants pleaded guilty to counts two, four and five of the five-count terrorism-related charge brought against them by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, for which they were convicted.
However, the court discharged them on counts one and three of the charge, which alleged that they had received N490,300 from Battujo while aware that the funds were proceeds of terrorism, following an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Oyedepo Rotimi, SAN.
Although each count carries a 20-year prison sentence, Justice Yilwa ordered the terms to run concurrently.
Both convicts are to undergo rehabilitation upon completion of their sentences.
