Kabiru Sokoto Appeals Conviction in 2011 Madalla Church Bombing Case

Kabiru Umar, better known as Kabiru Sokoto, has filed an appeal against the judgment that convicted him of terrorism‑related offences linked to the 2011 bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Madalla.

His lawyer, Don Akaegbu, confirmed the development in a statement, noting that the appeal follows a review of the court proceedings and the judgment issued by the Federal High Court in Abuja on 20 December 2013.

The legal team also said an application for an extension of time was submitted because of delays in initiating the appeal process.

They stressed that the charges against their client do not allege that he carried out or planned the church bombing.

“It is important, in the interest of accuracy and fairness, to clarify that: The charges upon which our client was tried and convicted did not allege that he carried out or masterminded the bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla. Rather, the relevant count alleged that he had information about the incident and failed to disclose the same to law enforcement authorities,” the lawyer said.

“The distinction between direct participation and alleged prior knowledge is significant in law and forms a central issue in the pending appeal.”

The statement added that the appeal raises questions about the evidence used to secure the conviction and how the trial court handled the defence presented by Umar.

The legal team further said the appeal would examine whether the conviction was supported by admissible and credible evidence and whether the evaluation of the defence by the trial court was consistent with established legal principles.

The lawyers also argued that criminal responsibility should only be determined through charges and evidence presented before the court.

The statement also revealed that while in custody, Umar earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the National Open University of Nigeria.

“This reflects a continued effort toward self‑improvement despite the circumstances. The purport of the appeal is to enable our client to establish and prove his innocence in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement added.