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A Nigerian High Court has sentenced the mother and sister of a late terrorist commander, Ibrahim Battujo, to 40 years’ imprisonment each after finding them guilty of providing support and information that aided his operations.
The convicted women, Safiya Salihu and Halima Abdullahi, were sentenced by Justice Hauwa Yilwa after they admitted to terrorism-related offences filed by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation on Friday.
Battujo was killed by security operatives on June 10, 2026, following a failed attempt to abduct students sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination in a forest near Iluke, in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Court records showed that the two defendants were found guilty on three of five counts, including assisting and facilitating Battujo’s activities by relaying information to him through phone calls, in violation of Section 26 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Safiya Salihu, the mother, was also convicted for withholding critical information after she reportedly visited her son’s forest hideout and observed him in possession of firearms.
Her daughter, Halima Abdullahi, was separately convicted for failing to disclose information that could have led to his arrest.
Part of the charges presented in court stated, “That you HALIMA ABDULLAHI and SAFIYA SALIHU, female adults of Dungun Muaza, Sabuwa LGA, Katsina State, sometime in 2026 at Katsina State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence when you received the sum of four hundred and ninety thousand, three hundred naira only (N490,300) from Battujo, a known terrorist, which sum you reasonably ought to know formed part of the proceeds of terrorism, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
The court also heard another count stating, “That you HALIMA ABDULLAHI and SAFIYA SALIHU, female adults of Dungun Muaza, Sabuwa LGA, Katsina State, sometime in 2026 at Katsina State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable 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 and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Both defendants pleaded guilty to counts two, four and five of the five-count charge brought by the Attorney General of the Federation’s office and were subsequently convicted.
However, they were discharged on counts one and three following an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Oyedepo Rotimi, SAN.
Although each count carries a 20-year sentence, Justice Yilwa ordered that the terms run concurrently.
The court also directed that both women undergo rehabilitation after completing their prison terms.
