In a significant legal breakthrough, the Federal High Court in Dawaki, Abuja, has delivered convictions to four individuals identified as key financiers of the notorious Boko Haram terrorist group. The convicted individuals, namely Modu Aisami, Zana Zarama, Umar Mohammed, and Bunu Kame, faced charges related to their involvement in funding and supporting terrorist activities.
The convictions were announced by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, and they were obtained through the dedicated efforts of the prosecution team led by Attorney General Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN). The cases were separately heard before Justice Binta Nyako and Justice Emeka Nwite.
According to a statement released by the Attorney General’s Special Assistant on Communication and Publicity, Kamarudeen Ogundele, the defendants pleaded guilty to the charges and appealed for leniency from the court. The defense counsel, led by the Director of Criminal Justice in the Legal Aid Council, F. A. Bakre, represented the accused during the proceedings.
Modu Aisami, accused of providing funds to Boko Haram by purchasing food products with the knowledge that the proceeds would be used for terrorist activities, was convicted on counts 2 and 3 by Justice Binta Nyako. He received a 20-year prison sentence for each offense, to run concurrently. Zana Zarama, convicted by Justice Nyako, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for concealing the identity of a Boko Haram member, Modu Sulum. The judge specified that the jail terms would commence from the day of the convicts’ initial custody.
In a separate trial, Justice Emeka Nwite convicted Umar Mohammed and Bunu Kame, sentencing them to 10 years imprisonment each.
In a related development, the Attorney General of the Federation disclosed that the Federal Government achieved a total of 366 convictions in the 2017 trial of Boko Haram terrorists. The AGF added that 896 suspects were discharged due to lack of evidence, and 61 cases were adjourned for further hearing.
Addressing the commencement of the trial for the fourth phase of suspected terrorists in Niger State, the AGF emphasized the initiative’s critical role in ensuring the security and safety of Nigeria and Nigerians. He urged all stakeholders to maintain the momentum, cautioning against the potential consequences of mismanaging the situation, which could fuel insecurity and lead to existential crises in the country.