Court jails Boko Haram leader for 20 years after guilty plea

A federal high court in Abuja has convicted Hussaini Isma’il, a Boko Haram commander known as Maitangaran, and sentenced him to 20 years in prison.

Giving the verdict on Tuesday, Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge, ruled that Isma’il was guilty of all four counts filed against him by the federal government.

Although the cumulative sentence amounted to 75 years, 15 years on count one and 20 years each on counts two, three and four, the judge ordered that the terms run concurrently from the date of Isma’il’s arrest.

“The term shall be spent by the convict at any appropriate correctional service facility to be chosen by the comptroller-general of the Nigeria Correctional Service,” Nwite ruled.

He also ordered that, upon completion of the sentence, Isma’il must undergo rehabilitation and deradicalisation at a government-approved centre before being released into society.

GUILTY PLEA AFTER VIDEO EVIDENCE

The case, previously before Anwuli Chikere, a retired judge, had suffered years of delays due to appeals and a trial-within-trial to determine whether the defendant’s statements were voluntarily given. The matter was later reassigned to Nwite.

Isma’il initially pleaded not guilty, but on Tuesday, after prosecutors played video evidence in court showing him addressing Boko Haram members and directing attacks, he opted to change his plea to guilty.

Following the plea change, his lawyer, P. B. Onijah of the Legal Aid Council, asked the court to temper justice with mercy, saying the defendant had shown remorse and did not wish to waste the court’s time.

The prosecution had called five witnesses, including two officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) and two eyewitnesses to attacks linked to the defendant.

THE CHARGES

According to the amended charge filed on October 3, 2023, Isma’il, 34, from Brithi village in Biu LGA of Borno state, professed membership of Boko Haram in August 2018.

Isma’il was also accused of participating in the 2016 attack on Kano Central Mosque, after which he appeared in a video confessing to the operation alongside other group members still at large.

He was also said to have taken part in the 2014 attack on the Mobile Police Base on Kabuga Road, Kano, which resulted in the deaths of some police personnel.

The convict was also accused of participating in another 2014 attack on Ungwa Uku Police Station in Kano, during which officers were killed.

All the offences violate provisions of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013.

The judge held that the federal government had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted the defendant accordingly.