5 men get 25 years each for smuggling arms to Boko Haram terrorists
By
Victor Idajili
A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced five men to 25 years in prison each for terrorism-related offences, after they pleaded guilty to smuggling rifles and ammunition meant for Boko Haram.
The convicts are Yusuf Mohammed, aka “Bature”; Goni Ibrahim Bindi, aka “Goni Mutuwa”; Sani Tulur, aka “Danladi”; Mubarak Ibrahim; and Musa Alhaji Adamu, aka “Gado Banufe”. One of them, Goni Ibrahim Bindi, is a Nigerien citizen.
They were arraigned Wednesday before Justice Binta Nyako by the DSS on a 4-count charge. All five pleaded guilty.
Prosecutors told the court the men conspired between April 23-24, 2026 to transport 15 AK-103 rifles with magazines and 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition. The arms were hidden in sacks of dried fish inside a blue Volkswagen Golf 3 with Niger Republic plates BT 9990 DA.
They were ferrying the weapons from Diffa Region in Niger Republic to Malam Ahmad, a Boko Haram member based in Borgu LGA, Niger State. Yusuf Mohammed was also charged with concealing information about Malam Ahmad’s hideout in Gandu forest between Feb 2025 and April 2026.
The DSS tendered the recovered rifles, ammunition, the VW car, and the defendants’ statements. Defence raised no objection.
After a plea of allocutus, Justice Nyako convicted them. Each man got 25 years on count one for assisting terrorists. On counts two and three, the 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants got 7 years each for illegal possession of firearms. Yusuf Mohammed alone got another 25 years on count four for concealing information.
The judge ruled all sentences will run concurrently from the date of arrest. The 15 rifles, 1,434 rounds of ammo, and the Volkswagen used to move them were forfeited to the Federal Government.
Justice Nyako ordered the convicts to serve their terms in a facility designated by the Minister of Interior.
The court found they violated Sections 13(1), 16 and 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, and Section 27 of the Firearms Act 2004.
