Mother of terrorist, Halima Abdullahi arrested by DSS, jailed 40 years for refusal to report son for arrest

Justice Hawa Joseph Yilwa of the Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Halima Abdullahi to 40 years’ imprisonment for failing to report the terrorism activities of her son, Battujo, to the federal government and for aiding and abetting him in the crime.

Mrs. Abdullahi, of Dungun Mu’aza in Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State, on Friday, during her arraignment, admitted guilt to aiding and abetting the activities of Battujo, a bandit kingpin, by passing information to him through telephone conversations, contrary to and punishable under Section 26 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

She was found guilty by the judge and subsequently sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment.

In another count, the bandit’s mother bagged 20 years for concealing information about the activities of her son, Battujo, a suspected bandit kingpin. The federal government argued that the information would have been of material assistance in securing his arrest by security agencies.

She admitted guilt to the offence, which is contrary to and punishable under Section 16 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

During the same joint arraignment, Mrs. Safiya Salihu, a blood sister of the bandit, was also jailed for 40 years after admitting guilt to the two charges brought against her by the federal government.

However, following a passionate plea by their lawyer, Dauda Hassan of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, who cited their status as first-time offenders and their ages, Justice Yilwa ordered that the sentences run concurrently and take effect from the date of their arrest in February 2026.

By virtue of the concurrent sentence order, the two convicts will spend only 20 years each behind bars.

The two convicts had pleaded not guilty to three other counts, following which the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, withdrew the charges, which were subsequently struck out by the judge.

The charges against them are;

COUNT ONE; “That you HALIMA ABDULLAHI and SAFIYA SALIHU, Female, adult, of Dungun Mu’aa Sahbuwa LGA, Katsina State sometiine in 2026 at Katsina State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable 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 the section 21 of the Terrorism (Prevention Prohibition) Act, 2022.

COUNT TWO; “That you HALIMA ABDULLAHI and SAFIYA SALIHU, Female, adult, of Dungun Mu’aza 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 telephciie 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 THREE; “That you HALIMA ABDULLAHI and SAFIYA SALIHU, Female, adult, of Dungun Mu’aza Sabuwa LGA, Katsina State sometime in 2026 at Katsina State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did commit an offence when you received sponsorship to travel for Hajj Pilgrimage from one BATTUJO a known bandit Kingpin from funds you reasonably ought to know formed part of Terrorism, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 21 of the terrorism (Prevention Prohibition) Act, 2022.

COUNT FOUR; “That you SAFIYA SALIHU, Female, adult, of Dungun Mu’aza Sabuwa LGA, Katsina State sometime in 2026 at Katsina State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did commit an offence concealed information about the activities of Battujo a known bandit Kingpin when you visited his forest camp and saw him in possession of firearms, an information which you knew to be of material assistance in securing his apprehension, but failed to disclose such information to any law enforcement or security officer as soon as reasonably practicable and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 16 of the terrorism (Prevention Prohibition) Act, 2022.

COUNT FIVE; ‘That you HALIMA ABDULLAHI, Female, adult, of Dungun Mu’aza Sabuwa LGA, Katsina State sometime in 2026 at Katsina State within the jurisdiction of this Honorabie Court, did commit an offence when you concealed information about the activities of Battujo a suspected bandit Kingpin, an information which you knew to be of material assistance in securing his apprehension, but failed to disclose such information to any law enforcement or security officer as soon as reasonably practicable and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 16 of the terrorism (Prevention Prohibition) Act, 2022.