Abuja Court Jails Mother and Sister of Slain Terrorist Kingpin for Aiding Insurgency

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced the mother and sister of the late terrorist kingpin, Kachallah Ibrahim Battujo, to 40 years in prison each for providing logistics and intelligence support to his criminal network.

Justice Hauwa Yilwa delivered the judgment on Friday after the two women, Safiya Salihu and Halima Abdullahi, pleaded guilty to multiple terrorism-related charges brought against them by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.

The convictions follow the death of Battujo, who was killed by Nigerian security forces on June 10, 2026, after a foiled mass abduction attempt targeting students writing their West African Senior School Certificate Examination near Iluke in Kogi State.

The prosecution proved that the convicts actively aided and abetted terrorism by serving as informants, passing critical information to Battujo via telephone conversations. This actions contravene Section 26 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

In addition to the conspiracy charges, Safiya, the mother, was convicted of withholding information regarding her son’s whereabouts and operations after visiting his forest hideout and witnessing him in possession of military-grade firearms. Halima, the sister, was similarly found guilty of concealing vital information that could have led to her brother’s arrest by law enforcement agencies.

The court, however, discharged both women on counts alleging they directly received ₦490,300 in terrorism proceeds from Battujo, following an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Oyedepo Rotimi (SAN).

Although each of the counts carries a 20-year prison sentence, Justice Yilwa ordered that the terms run concurrently. The court also mandated that both women undergo mandatory rehabilitation programs upon completing their prison sentences.