After 17 months of investigation and prosecution, the Kebbi State Police Command has secured the conviction of 19 persons for terrorism, illegal possession of firearms, and vandalism of critical national infrastructure.
The convictions followed a judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Gakko of the Federal High Court, Birnin Kebbi Judicial Division, concluding cases arising from intelligence-led operations in Yauri, Bagudo, Sakaba and other security flashpoints across the state.
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Among those convicted were two terrorism suspects, Aliyu Hadari and Umar Musa Uzzi, who were found guilty on three counts bordering on terrorism, providing logistics to an armed terrorist group, and conspiracy to commit terrorism under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The duo were intercepted along Yauri Road while travelling in a vehicle allegedly acquired to transport kidnap victims to a forest hideout. The court sentenced each of them to 15 years’ imprisonment on each count and ordered the forfeiture of the vehicle and a Bajaj motorcycle to the Federal Government.
In a separate case, 11 persons were convicted of unlawful possession of firearms, with 11 assorted weapons recovered, including locally fabricated pistols, a locally made Beretta pistol and dane guns.
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Those convicted included Ripin Liu, a Chinese national sentenced to six years’ imprisonment with an option of a fine; Mohammed Bello Ibrahim, also known as Banki, who received four years without an option of a fine; and Abubakar Siddi, Mohammed Bako, Bello Dantiye, Aliyu Dandaula and Abubakar Usman, who were each sentenced to three years’ imprisonment without an option of a fine.
Others were Buba Alhaji Umaru, sentenced to three years’ imprisonment after being arrested in Bagudo Local Government Area following his alleged entry from a neighbouring country with a locally fabricated pistol; John Zweme, sentenced to two years and six months with an option of a fine; and Aliyu Bako and Sani Alaramma, who each received two years’ imprisonment with an option of a fine.
The Command also secured the conviction of six persons — Sani Tanko, Ibrahim Hamza, Samson Sunday, Abdulrahman Isah, Adamu Musa and Masudu — for vandalising and stealing electric cables in Sakaba Local Government Area. The offence reportedly disrupted electricity supply to entire communities, while the convicts received prison sentences ranging from three to eight years.
Reacting to the judgment, the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar M. Hadejia, said the convictions demonstrated the consequences of criminal activities and the Command’s commitment to ensuring that cases were prosecuted to their logical conclusion.
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He commended the trial judge for his conduct on the bench and praised the investigative team and prosecuting counsel for their diligence and resilience throughout the 17-month legal process.
The commissioner also reaffirmed the Command’s determination to sustain operations against terrorism, illegal arms proliferation and economic sabotage. He urged residents to report suspicious movements and activities to the Police, assuring them that credible information would be acted upon decisively.