The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday sentenced Boko Haram member Alkali Yarima, also known as La’ari, to death by hanging for participating in the attacks on Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State in 2015.
Justice James Omotosho, in a judgement, also sentenced Yarima to a life imprisonment in count six counts of receiving a training on arms and weapon handling in preparation to commit acts of terrorism.
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The judge sentenced the convict to 35 years’ imprisonment on one count and 30 years in jail on count five.
The judge, thereafter handed down a 10-year imprisonment for Mr Yarima on each of counts two, three and four.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the federal government preferred seven charges against the convict in case FHC/KNJ/CR/971/2026.
Rotimi Oyedepo, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, filed the charges on May 29.
In count one which attracted 35 years’ jail term, Mr Yarima, with Chest Number: 1636 of Lawanti Area of Mafa Local Government Area in Borno, professed membership in and continued to belong to the Boko Haram group, a proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria. The charge stated he professed to be a Boko Haram member between 2009 to 2015, when he was arrested.
He was accused of accepting “Da’awah from Mohammed Yusuf (founder of Boko Haram).”
The offence is punishable under Section 16 (1) of the Terrorism (Prevention Amendment) Act, 2013.
In count six, for which he received a life sentence, the convict was alleged to have “engaged in conduct in preparation to commit terrorist acts when he travelled to an Arab country for training on arms and weapon handling.”
The offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 21 of the Terrorism (Prevention Amendment) Act, 2013.
The federal government, in count seven, which attracted a death penalty, accused the terrorist of committing acts of terrorism when he participated in the attacks on Maiduguri.
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The offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 2 (1) of the Terrorism (Prevention Amendment) Act, 2013.
NAN reports that the trial, which usually takes place at Kainji in Niger, was moved to the the Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja.
The AGF, Lateef Fagbemi, who led the federal government’s prosecution team, said the government was determined to stamp out terrorism and its related activities from the country.
“We will fight with every inch of our blood to ensure that we make Nigeria a safe place for everybody,” the minister said.
(NAN)
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