A Federal High Court sitting in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, has handed down prison sentences of varying lengths to three individuals—including Chinese citizen Ripin Liu—for offenses related to terrorism and the unlawful possession of firearms.
Aliyu Hadari and Umar Musa Uzzi were sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment, while Liu was sentenced to six years.
The Chinese national was arrested with a Beretta pistol and convicted in connection with the offences.
Delivering judgment, Justice Emmanuel Gakko of the Federal High Court, Birnin Kebbi, held that the prosecution had established beyond reasonable doubt that the defendants provided logistical support to terrorists and conspired to commit terrorism, contrary to the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The court heard that the defendants were intercepted along Yauri Road while travelling in a vehicle allegedly acquired specifically to transport kidnap victims to a forest hideout.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of the vehicle and a Bajaj motorcycle to the Federal Government after establishing their connection to the offences.
In a separate development, the court sentenced Mohammed Bello Ibrahim, alias Banki, to four years’ imprisonment without an option of a fine, while Abubakar Siddi received three years’ imprisonment without an option of a fine.
Mohammed Bako, Bello Dantiye, Aliyu Dandaula and Abubakar Usman were also sentenced to three years’ imprisonment each without an option of a fine.
Buba Alhaji Umaru, who was arrested in Bagudo Local Government Area after allegedly crossing into the country from a neighbouring country with a locally fabricated pistol, was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.
John Zweme received two years and six months’ imprisonment with an option of a fine, while Aliyu Bako and Sani Alaramma were each sentenced to two years’ imprisonment with an option of a fine.
The police command also secured the conviction of six persons identified as economic saboteurs: Sani Tanko, Ibrahim Hamza, Samson Sunday, Abdulrahman Isah, Adamu Musa and Masudu, for vandalising and stealing electric cables in the Sakaba area of Kebbi State.
They were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment ranging from three to eight years.
What You Should Know
A federal court in Kebbi State has handed down prison sentences to a group of 19 individuals, which includes a Chinese national, for serious offenses ranging from terrorism and illegal arms possession to economic sabotage.
- Positive Impact: This decisive judicial action demonstrates the ongoing efforts of law enforcement and the judiciary to clamp down on criminal networks, logistical support for terrorists, and infrastructure vandalism in the region.
- Potential Concerns: The involvement of foreign nationals and the sheer volume of convictions highlight the persistent security challenges and threats posed by localized insurgent support and economic sabotage within Nigerian communities.
