Bandit Kingpin's Mother and Sister Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

The Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced the mother and sister of the late bandit kingpin Kachallah Ibrahim Battujo to forty years in prison each on Friday.

Safiya Salihu and Halima Abdullahi were found to have supplied information to Battujo via telephone conversations that assisted his terrorist activities, an offence punishable under Section 26 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Justice Hauwa Yilwa, in her judgment, also convicted the women for concealing Battujo’s activities by not reporting them to law enforcement or security agents promptly, thereby hindering his apprehension.

They had visited Battujo’s forest camp, witnessed him holding firearms, yet did not inform security agencies.

Sentences were imposed after the defendants pleaded guilty to counts 2, 4, and 5 of a five‑count terrorism charge filed by the Office of the Attorney General of the