A High Court in Sokoto State has sentenced three men to death by hanging after finding them guilty of terrorism-related offences and illegal arms trafficking.
The judgment has drawn attention because one of the convicted men is a citizen of the Republic of Niger.
The verdict was delivered by Justice Muhammad Nuraddeen Bello of High Court No. 23 in Sokoto. The court also ordered that money recovered from the convicts be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The convicted men were identified as Yusuf Muhammad, also known as Sallau, Jabbi Alhaji Yalle, and Kabiru Muhammad. According to court records, they were arrested on June 13, 2025, by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) Counter Terrorism Unit.
Authorities said the arrests followed intelligence operations targeting criminal groups involved in terrorism and arms trafficking across Nigeria’s borders.
According to evidence presented before the court, the suspects were accused of helping to move weapons and ammunition from the Diffa Region of the Republic of Niger into Nigeria.
Investigators alleged that the weapons were intended for a suspected Boko Haram member identified as Malam Ahmad, who was said to be operating in Borgu, Niger State.
Furthermore, court documents stated that the weapons included 15 AK-103 rifles and about 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition.
The case, marked SS/45c/2026, was prosecuted as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt terrorist networks and illegal arms supply routes.
Delivering judgment, Justice Bello convicted all three defendants on every count brought against them.
He stated: “The conviction is the latest in a series of successful prosecutions by the DSS in its sustained operations against terrorism and organised cross-border criminal networks across Nigeria.”
Moreover, the judgment reflects increasing efforts by law enforcement agencies to strengthen national security and reduce the flow of illegal weapons.
In addition, security agencies have continued to intensify intelligence gathering and joint operations aimed at preventing future attacks.
Authorities said the suspects were arrested during separate operations conducted by DSS operatives. Those operations were designed to dismantle arms-smuggling networks and weaken terrorist activities.
