By Deborah Nnamdi
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced Hamat Modu to 40 years’ imprisonment for providing logistical support to Boko Haram in Borno State.
Delivering judgment on Tuesday, Justice Binta Nyako convicted the defendant after he pleaded guilty to a four-count charge bordering on terrorism.
The prosecution, led by Rotimi Oyedepo, Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, told the court that Modu was arrested in 2023 in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State.
According to the charges, the defendant was a member of the proscribed group and provided support in the form of food, drugs, and recharge cards. He was also accused of receiving funds from the group with knowledge of their intended use for terrorist activities, contrary to the Terrorism (Prevention) Act.
Modu pleaded guilty to all counts, prompting the prosecution to urge the court to convict him accordingly. The court admitted his extrajudicial statement and investigation report as evidence.
In her ruling, Justice Nyako sentenced the defendant to 10 years’ imprisonment on each of the four counts, amounting to 40 years. The sentences are to run concurrently, meaning he will serve a total of 10 years in prison.
The court also ordered that the convict undergo deradicalisation and rehabilitation as part of his sentence.
At the proceedings, Aliyu Bagudu, Director-General of the Legal Aid Council, represented the defendant.
The trial was conducted amid tight security, with personnel of the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services, and the Nigeria Police Force deployed around the court premisis.
The case is part of ongoing prosecutions of terrorism suspects by the Federal Government, as authorities intensify efforts to curb insurgency and its financing network in northern Nigeria.
