A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced the mother and sister of slain bandit kingpin, Kachallah Ibrahim Battujo, to prison after finding them guilty of terrorism-related offences linked to the notorious criminal’s operations.
The convicts, identified as Halima Abdullahi and Safiya Salihu, were arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) during investigations into Battujo’s activities and alleged support network.
Justice Hauwa Joseph Yilwa delivered the judgment today after both women pleaded guilty to charges bordering on aiding and abetting terrorism and concealing information that could have assisted security agencies in tracking the bandit leader.
According to court documents, the women maintained communication with Battujo despite being aware of his criminal activities. Prosecutors argued that they passed information to him through telephone conversations and failed to disclose intelligence that could have aided his arrest.
Battujo, described by security agencies as a notorious bandit kingpin operating across parts of North-Central and North-West Nigeria, was reportedly killed by security forces during an operation near Iluke in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State on June 10, 2026.
The court sentenced the women to prison terms on the counts to which they pleaded guilty and ordered that they undergo rehabilitation after serving their sentences.
Notably, allegations that the women received proceeds of terrorism and used the funds to sponsor a Hajj pilgrimage were struck out after the prosecution applied to withdraw those counts. Consequently, the court did not convict them on those allegations.
The judgment is being viewed as a significant development in efforts by security agencies to dismantle not only terrorist networks but also the support structures that enable them to operate.
