SAN FRANCISCO, February 19, (THEWILL) – The special sitting of the Federal High Court in Wawa Cantonment, Kainji, Niger State, has convicted 205 Boko Haram members with various terms of imprisonment.
This was revealed in a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Justice stating that one of the convicts, identified as Alhaji Bukar Jindi, got the longest term of imprisonment.
The statement, signed by Salihu Isah, media aide to the Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami, said 19-year-old Jindi got a total of 66 years upon being convicted on a two-count charge.
Jindi was convicted for admitting being a member of the Boko Haram sect and got 16 years on that count and was also convicted for carrying out several attacks leading to loss of lives and properties and got 50 years.
“The unremorseful and unrepentant convict vowed to go back to crime if he is released,” the statement read.
“He was arrested in 2015 at the age of 17. He will have to spend 50 years in prison with effect from the date of his arrest.”
Isah said only one of those tried, Modu Maina, a native of Bama Local Government Area of Borno State was discharged and acquitted.
“Maina confessed that he was forcefully initiated into the Boko Haram group but relocated to Lagos to avoid being arrested in Bama.
“He said that all the confessional statements he made to Joint Task Force (JTF) was under alleged torture.
“The presiding judge, having reviewed the defendant’s written confessional statements, found him not guilty,” Isah said.
Isah said most of the 205 that were convicted were found guilty of admitting “to belonging to the terrorist group; concealing information about the group which they knew or believe to be of material assistance that could lead to the arrest, prosecution or conviction of Boko Haram members. Their jail term ranges from 3 to 60 years.
“Most of the convicts said the fear of being killed prevented them from reporting to the JTF (Joint Task Force) or any security agencies coupled with the fact that most villages had been ravaged by the Boko Haram including the security posts.
“They insisted that it was difficult and a dangerous venture for them to travel a long distance to make a report.”
THEWILL recalls that the Federal High Court had to move its sitting to the Wawa cantonment, which served as a detention facility for Boko Haram suspects, to ensure prompt disposal of the cases.
The court, during its latest sitting, which ended last Friday tried 301 cases, convicted 205, discharged and acquitted 1 and adjourned 73 for continuation of hearing while cases involving 526, who were freed, was not tried because the prosecution could not charge them for lack of sufficient evidence.
