Woman Sentenced to 20 Years for Holding 302 AK‑47 Bullets

A Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced Halima Haliru Umar to 20 years in prison for unlawfully possessing 302 rounds of AK‑47 live ammunition and for attempting to support acts of terrorism.

Justice Hauwa Yilwa delivered the judgment on Friday after the defendant pleaded guilty to two of the four charges brought against her by the Department of State Services (DSS).

Umar, who was arrested in Plateau State, admitted that she had tried to transport the ammunition in support of terrorist activities and that she had unlawfully possessed the rounds.

The court noted that by pleading guilty at her arraignment on 11 March, the defendant accepted the facts presented by the prosecution without contesting the evidence.

“The defendant, having admitted the facts of the offence as presented by the prosecution, the court is satisfied. She is accordingly convicted on counts three and four,” Justice Yilwa ruled.

Defence counsel Hamza Dantani appealed for leniency, describing Umar as a first‑time offender who had shown remorse and cooperated with the proceedings. He also highlighted that the woman is a nursing mother of a one‑year‑old child who was arrested alongside her, urging the court to balance justice with mercy.

Umar was sentenced to 20 years for the terrorism‑support charge (count three) and one year for the illegal possession of ammunition (count four). The court adjourned the remaining two counts—on which she pleaded not guilty—to a trial on 9 July under case reference FHC/ABJ/CR/450/2025.

The two counts she admitted are:

• That you, Halima Haliru Umar of Unguwan Boka, Faskari LGA, Katsina State, adult, female, sometime on 7 July 2025, at Barkin Ladi LGA and Jos North LGA of Plateau State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did attempt to render support for the commission of acts of terrorism by providing material assistance and transportation of three hundred and two (302) rounds of AK‑47 rifle live ammunition, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 28(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 13(1) of the same Act.
• That you, Halima Haliru Umar of Unguwan Boka, Faskari LGA, Katsina State, adult, female, sometime on 7 July 2025, at Jos North LGA of Plateau State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did have in your possession three hundred and two (302) rounds of AK‑47 rifle live ammunition, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 8(1) of the Firearms Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27(1) of the same Act.

According to the prosecution, Umar was arrested on 7 July 2025 in Plateau State while carrying 302 rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition. DSS operative Fahad Tahir presented evidence that she was transferred to DSS headquarters in Abuja on 11 August 2025, along with the recovered ammunition, a confessional statement, investigation reports, and N57,100 in cash.

Tahir explained that investigations revealed a person named “Sani” had instructed Umar to travel to Zaria, Kaduna State, and then to Jos, Plateau State, where she collected a waste bag containing the ammunition from a man identified as “Alhaji.” He added that Sani had given her N50,000 for travel expenses. Umar recounted that she was arrested while in possession of the 302 rounds on her return to Jos. She provided a voluntary statement in Hausa, which was interpreted into English. The interview was audio‑visually recorded and conducted in the presence of a Legal Aid Council of Nigeria official. The investigation report was subsequently submitted to the Director.