A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced a housewife, Halima Haliru Umar, to 20 years imprisonment for unlawful possession of 302 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition and supporting acts of terrorism.
The judgment was delivered on Friday by Justice Hauwa Joseph Yilwa after the defendant pleaded guilty to two of the four-count charges filed against her by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Justice Yilwa said the increasing wave of banditry and terrorism across the country posed a major threat to national security and should not be treated with leniency.
Although the convict pleaded for mercy and appeared remorseful, the court held that offences relating to terrorism and illegal arms trafficking remained serious threats to public safety.
During the proceedings, the court heard that Umar admitted acting as a courier for the transportation of ammunition intended for bandits operating in Plateau State.
A DSS operative and first prosecution witness, Fahad Tahir, told the court that the defendant was arrested on July 6, 2025, while allegedly conveying 302 rounds of AK-47 ammunition alongside N57,100 cash to armed bandits in Plateau State.
According to the witness, the defendant made a confessional statement in Hausa at the DSS Plateau State Command, revealing that one Alhaji Sani had directed her to travel to Zaria, Kaduna State, to obtain the ammunition from another individual.
Tahir further disclosed that Umar was later transferred to the DSS National Headquarters in Abuja on Aug. 11, 2025, where she was interviewed again in the presence of a lawyer from the Legal Aid Council.
He said the defendant reaffirmed ownership and transportation of the ammunition and the cash exhibits.
The prosecution counsel, Dr. Callistus Samson Ezeh, tendered the 302 rounds of ammunition, the sum of N57,100, and the defendant’s statements as exhibits before the court. The exhibits were admitted without objection from defence counsel, Hamza Dantani.
In open court, the defendant also admitted being in possession of the ammunition and cash at the time of her arrest.
One of the charges stated that the convict knowingly rendered support for acts of terrorism by transporting 302 rounds of AK-47 live ammunition between Katsina and Plateau states, contrary to Section 13(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
She was also charged with unlawful possession of ammunition contrary to Section 8(1) of the Firearms Act, 2004.
The DSS further accused her of concealing information about suspected gunrunners and kidnappers allegedly linked to terrorist activities.
Following her guilty plea and the evidence presented, Justice Yilwa convicted and sentenced the defendant to 20 years imprisonment.
By ZAGAZOLA MAKAMA
