[UPDATED] Court Sentences Mother, Sister Of Suspected Terrorist To 40 Years Imprisonment •

Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has sentenced two women arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) for their involvement in terrorism to 40 years in prison.

The convicted women — identified as one Safiya Salihu and one Halima Abdullahi — are said to be the mother and sister of suspected terrorist kingpin, Kachallah Ibrahim Battujo, who was eliminated by Nigerian security forces on June 10, 2026, in a forest near Iluke in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

Justice Yilwa handed the sentences after both women pleaded guilty to counts two, four and five of the five-count terrorism-related charge brought against them by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.

Both women escaped conviction on counts one and three, which bordered on receiving ₦490,300 from Battujo, fully aware it was proceeds of terrorism, as well as count three, which was on their sponsored holy pilgrimage with the proceeds of terrorism.

The Director of Public Prosecution, Oyedepo Rotimi, SAN, urged the court to strike out both counts, but convict them on the others.

According to count two, both women “aided and abetted the activities of Battujo, a known bandit Kingpin and passed information through telephone conversations to the said Battujo, and thereby committed an
offence contrary to and punishable under section 26 of the terrorism (Prevention Prohibition) Act, 2022”.

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“That you HALIMA ABDULLAHI and SAFIYA SALIHU, Female, adult, of Dungun Muaza Sabuwa LGA, Katsina State, sometime in 2026 at Katsina State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did commit
an offence, when you aided and abetted the activities of Battujo, a known bandit Kingpin, and passed information through telephone conversations to the said Battujo, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 26 of the terrorism (Prevention Prohibition) Act, 2022,” count two read.

In addition to pleading guilty to count two, Battujo’s mother pleaded guilty to count five, which bordered on concealment of information on the terrorism activities of her son.

On her part, Halima, who is the sister of the eliminated terrorist kingpin, in addition to pleading guilty to count two, also pleaded guilty to count four, which bordered on concealment of information that her brother illegally acquired firearms, which she saw when she visited his forest camp.

While the punishment for each of the counts is 20 years, Justice Yilwa ordered that the sentences run concurrently, after which the convicts will undergo rehabilitation.