Kayode Lawal, Abuja
The federal government on Tuesday opened the trial of 500 terror suspects implicated in series of terror attacks at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The suspects were alleged to have participated mainly in the Northern parts of the country where more than 2000 Nigerians have been killed and property destroyed.
Others were accused of aiding and abetting the heinous crime through direct and indirect sponsorship with either finance, arms and ammunition as well as foodstuff supplies.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), through the support of the Director of Public Prosecution of the federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), led the prosecution team.
The Director of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, Mr Aliu Bagudu Abubakar, led the defence team with support from several lawyers.
While confirming the decision of the federal government on the trial, the Attorney General of the Federation revealed that a total of 227 suspects were put on trial before 10 Judges of the Federal High Court.
He thanked the Judges for sacrificing their Easter holiday to conduct the trial of the suspects.
To ensure that the trial was transparent and due process of law followed, he said the federal government brought in representatives of the International bodies, Amnesty International, Human rights associations, Nigeria Bar Association to witness the proceedings.
The suspects were brought to court in loads of trucks with heavy presence of security personnel including soldiers Department of State Service DSS operatives and police.
In one of the proceedings, Justice Binta Fatima Nyako sentenced a major foodstuff supplier to the Boko Haram terrorists in Borno State, Hamatu Modu, to 40 years imprisonment for his involvement in terrorism activities.
Modu, who confessed in the open court to supplying food items and information to terrorists was put on trial by the federal government through the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
He was on Tuesday slammed with 4- count charges and instantly pleaded guilty to them.
The Director of the Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), led the prosecution in the court.
In his judgment, Justice Nyako sentenced him to 10 years on each of the four counts but due to plea of the defence counsel, the judge odered that the 40 years imprisonment should run concurrently giving the convict opportunity to spend only 10 years.
In another development, Isah Ali, another food supplier also in Borno was jailed 10 years by Justice Nyako.
His jail term will however start three years ago when he was arrested and clamped into detention.
The convict confessed to committing the offence as charged.
Justice Nyako ordered that the convicts be made to undergo rehabilitation and deradicalization at the end of their service of the jail terms.
The Federal Ministry of Interior was ordered to determine where the convicts will serve their jail terms.
In a related development, Court sentenced a father of three children, Sheu Buka, to 20 years imprisonment for selling goats to Boko Haram terrorists in Borno state.
Buka, who was put on trial on 5- count charge by the federal government, admitted in the open court and in his extra judicial statement that he committed the offence.
Following his denial of four other charges, the federal government withdrew the ones he denied and left him to count three alone.
Justice Nyako, after going through the confessional statement and admission of guilt in the open court as well as the investigation report, convicted the defendant and sentenced him to 20 years.
The Judge refused the plea for leniency made by the convict,nadding that the issue of terrorism has become worrisome in virtually all parts of the country.
According to the court, rendering support to terrorists is a serious offence that must not be condoned.
Similarly, a father of six children, Hamza Yahuza, was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for selling indian hemps and cigarettes to Boko Haram terrorists in Borno state.
Yahuza on Tuesday admitted in the open court to committing the offence in 2023 and begged the court profusely for forgiveness.
The convict is one of over 500 persons brought to various courts for trial by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice for aiding and abetting terrorism against the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He also admitted supplying various drugs to the terrorists in parts of Monguno local government area of Borno.
In the one count charge, the 40 years old convict upon confession sought leniency, which Justice Nyako rejected.
The Judge also rejected the claims that it was poverty that pushed him into supplying drugs, indian hemp and cigarettes to the Boko Haram members.
Justice Nyako imposed seven years imprisonment on him but however ordered that the sentence should start from March 6, 2023 when the convict was apprehended and clamped into detention by the federal government.
Meanwhile, the trial will continue on Wednesday April 8.
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