Death Penalty Imposed on Three for Terrorism, Arms Proliferation in Sokoto

Three Men Sentenced to Death for Terrorism, Arms Proliferation

A High Court in Sokoto has sentenced three men, including a foreign national, to death by hanging for their roles in terrorism and arms proliferation. The convicts, Yusuf Muhammad (alias Sallau), a Nigerien; Jabbi Alhaji Yalle; and Kabiru Muhammad, were arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) Counter Terrorism Unit in June 2025.

The case, marked SS/45c/2026, was presided over by Justice Muhammad Nuraddeen Bello of High Court No. 23, Sokoto. The court found all three defendants guilty as charged and sentenced them to death by hanging. The judge also ordered the forfeiture of all monetary exhibits recovered from the convicts to the Federal Government.

“The conviction is the latest in a series of successful prosecutions by the DSS in its sustained operations against terrorism and organised cross-border criminal networks across Nigeria,” said Justice Bello.

The three men were accused of being part of a network that trafficked arms across the border. The DSS said the network supplied arms to terrorist groups in Nigeria.

• The DSS said the three men were part of a network that trafficked arms across the border.
• The network supplied arms to terrorist groups in Nigeria.
• The arms were worth millions of naira.
• The DSS arrested the men at different locations in June 2025.
• The case was presided over by Justice Muhammad Nuraddeen Bello.

The sentencing comes two weeks after the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced five people to 25 years in prison for their involvement in an attack on a school in Niger State. The five people included two Nigeriens. They pleaded guilty to all four terrorism-related charges pressed against them.

The charges bordered on support for the commission of an act of terrorism, breaching both Section 16 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Firearms Act. The men were accused of conspiring to assist a terrorist by agreeing and intentionally playing various roles towards conveying 15 AK 103 rifles as well as about 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition from the Diffa region, Republic of Niger, to one Malam Ahmad, a member of the Boko Haram terrorist group based in Borgu, Niger State.

And the arms were worth millions of naira. The DSS said it would continue to work to prevent the proliferation of arms in Nigeria. The agency said it had made significant progress in its operations against terrorism and cross-border criminal networks.

But the sentencing of the three men shows that the DSS is committed to bringing those who engage in terrorism and arms proliferation to justice.

Justice Bello handed down the judgment after the men were found guilty as charged. The judge also ordered the forfeiture of all monetary exhibits recovered from the convicts to the Federal Government.

The sentencing is significant because it shows that the DSS is committed to bringing those who engage in terrorism and arms proliferation to justice. It also shows that the agency is making progress in its operations against terrorism and cross-border criminal networks.

The DSS said it would continue to work to prevent the proliferation of arms in Nigeria. The agency said it had made significant progress in its operations against terrorism and cross-border criminal networks.

The sentencing of the three men comes two weeks after the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced five people to 25 years in prison for their involvement in an attack on a school in Niger State. The five people included two Nigeriens. They pleaded guilty to all four terrorism-related charges pressed against them.

The charges bordered on support for the commission of an act of terrorism, breaching both Section 16 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Firearms Act. The men were accused of conspiring to assist a terrorist by agreeing and intentionally playing various roles towards conveying 15 AK 103 rifles as well as about 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition from the Diffa region, Republic of Niger, to one Malam Ahmad, a member of the Boko Haram terrorist group based in Borgu, Niger State.