The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, sentenced a 37-year-old man, Zakaria Garba, to death by hanging over his involvement in the 2014 bombing at the major motor park in Nyanya, one of the bustling, highly populated communities on the border between Abuja, the Nigerian capital city, and the neighbouring Nasarawa State.
No fewer than 70 people were killed, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries in the devastating bombing.
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Trial judge James Omotsoho, in his judgement delivered during the just-concluded Abuja mass trial of suspected terrorists, also imposed a life imprisonment on Mr Garba one of the five counts preferred against him.
The defendant was convicted by Mr Omotosho after pleading guilty to all five counts brought against him by the federal government.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the judgement was delivered on Tuesday in the case marked FHC/KNJ/CR/985/2026.
The case was filed by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice.
The judge sentenced Mr Garba to a 35-year jail term each on counts one and two, a life imprisonment on count three, a death sentence on counts four and five.
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“May God have mercy on you,” the judge said, the judge said to the convict after pronouncing the death sentence.
NAN reports that prosecution alleged in count three, which attracted a life imprisonment, Mr Garba of Jambutu Park, Jimeta Local Government Area of Adamawa, and others now at large, committed the alleged offences in 2014 at the Nyanya Motor Park, FCT Abuja.
They were said to have also knowingly conspired among themselves “to commit acts of terrorism by planning and coordinating the bombing of Nyanya Motor Park, Abuja through the use of explosives devices, which bombing resulted in the death of over 70 persons and injured several others.”
The offence is punishable under Section 17 of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013 and punishable under same Section of the Act.
In count four, which also attracted capital punishment, the terrorist, who stated in his confessional statement that he used to sell tea and bread, with others now at large, was accused of “knowingly and intentionally” caus!$the detonation of explosives devices at Nyanya Motor Park with intent to cause death and serious bodily harm to members of the public, which act resulted in over 70 (Seventy) persons’ death and injuries to several others.”
The offence is punishable under Section 1(3) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013.
Also, in count five, which attracted death penalty, the convict and others now at large were said to have, sometime in 2014 while at the Nyanya Motor Park, FCT Abuja, “participated in an act of terrorism which caused the death of over 70 (Seventy) persons by detonating explosives.”
According to the charge, you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(3) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013.
Other terrorists jailed
Mr Omotosho also handed down various prison terms to some other terrorists who pleaded guilty to the separate terrorism charges filed against them.
Ali Mohammed, in case marked number: FHC/KNJ/CR/1020/2026, was sentenced to a 25-year jail term on count one and 15-year imprisonment on count two.
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Isa Saleh was sentenced to a 20-year imprisonment in on one sole charge marked: FHC/KNJ/CR/973/2026.
Tujan Mohammed, in a case marked: FHC/KNJ/CR/954/2026, also bagged a 20-year jail term in the one count preferred against him by the federal Government.
For Salisu Bala, the judge convicted and sentenced him to a 20-year imprisonment in count two but discharged and acquitted him in counts one and three in the charge marked: FHC/KNJ/CR/963/2026.
NAN reports that during this just concluded round of mass trial took place in the Federal High Court in Abuja, while the previous editions held at the military base in Kainji, Niger State, which holds terrorism suspects from different parts of the country.
The AGF, Lateef Fagbemi, a SAN, who led the federal government’s team of lawyer for the prosecution, said the government was determined to stamp out terrorism and related activities from the country.
”We will fight with every inch of our blood to ensure that we make Nigeria a safe haven for everybody.
(NAN)
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