Court Jails Terrorist Kingpin’s Mother, Sister 40 Years For Terrorism Offences

Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced two women arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) for terrorism-related offences to 40 years imprisonment.

The convicts, Safiya Salihu and Halima Abdullahi, are the mother and sister of suspected terrorist kingpin, Kachallah Ibrahim Battujo, who was reportedly killed by Nigerian security forces on June 10, 2026, in a forest near Iluke in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The court handed down the sentence after both women pleaded guilty to counts two, four and five of a five-count charge filed by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.

They were, however, discharged on counts one and three, which alleged that they received ₦490,300 from Battujo, knowing it was proceeds of terrorism, and that they undertook a sponsored pilgrimage using funds linked to terrorist activities.

The Director of Public Prosecution, Oyedepo Rotimi (SAN), requested the court to strike out the two counts while seeking convictions on the remaining charges.

According to the charge, the women aided and abetted the activities of Battujo by passing information to him through telephone conversations, an offence punishable under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Safiya Salihu also pleaded guilty to concealing information about her son’s terrorist activities, while Halima Abdullahi admitted concealing information about firearms illegally possessed by her brother, which she allegedly saw during a visit to his forest camp.

Justice Yilwa sentenced each of the women to 20 years imprisonment on the counts to which they pleaded guilty. Although the combined sentence amounted to 40 years, the court ordered that the terms run concurrently.

The judge further directed that both convicts undergo rehabilitation after serving their prison terms.