The Federal High Court in Wawa Cantonment, Kainji, Niger State,
on Tuesday sentenced a commander of the Boko Haram terrorist group,
Abba Umar, to 60 years imprisonment for various acts of
terrorism.
The 22-year-old, who was remorseless and maintained a hard look
throughout the proceedings, confirmed that he would return to
Sambisa Forest to continue the terrorism acts if he was ever
released.
He had been in detention since 2014 after his failed suicide
mission to a school in Gombe State that year.
Two of the five counts preferred against him attracted death
penalty but the judge said he decided to impose lesser sentences
after taking into consideration the age of the convict and the fact
that he must have been exposed to “excessive and consistent
religious indoctrination” which made him to be easily pliable.
The judge added, “For count 3, I sentence him to 60 years
imprisonment.
“I would have been more merciful but was rather dissuaded by the
convict’s insistence that he would back the activities which
constitute danger to the society and for which he was
apprehended.”
Umar was 18 when he was arrested after his failed attempt
suicide mission to Gombe Secondary School, Gombe State, in
2014.
During the trial on Tuesday, Umar confirmed that 17 pictures
tendered by the prosecution as exhibits showing him, the car and
the IEDs used for the failed operation, to be true and
authentic.
While testifying earlier on Tuesday, the convict who said he
married two wives in Sambisa Forest after joining the sect,
described himself as “an Islamic warrior, and a commander in the
Islamic army”.
The convict who spoke in Hausa and his testimony interpreted in
English during the proceedings, confirmed that as a commander in
the Boko Haram sect, he had over 100 lieutenants under him.
The Federal High Court in Wawa Cantonment, Kainji, Niger State,
on Tuesday sentenced a commander of the Boko Haram terrorist group,
Abba Umar, to 60 years imprisonment for various acts of
terrorism.
The 22-year-old, who was remorseless and maintained a hard look
throughout the proceedings, confirmed that he would return to
Sambisa Forest to continue the terrorism acts if he was ever
released.
He had been in detention since 2014 after his failed suicide
mission to a school in Gombe State that year.
Two of the five counts preferred against him attracted death
penalty but the judge said he decided to impose lesser sentences
after taking into consideration the age of the convict and the fact
that he must have been exposed to “excessive and consistent
religious indoctrination” which made him to be easily pliable.
The judge added, “For count 3, I sentence him to 60 years
imprisonment.
“I would have been more merciful but was rather dissuaded by the
convict’s insistence that he would back the activities which
constitute danger to the society and for which he was
apprehended.”
Umar was 18 when he was arrested after his failed attempt
suicide mission to Gombe Secondary School, Gombe State, in
2014.
During the trial on Tuesday, Umar confirmed that 17 pictures
tendered by the prosecution as exhibits showing him, the car and
the IEDs used for the failed operation, to be true and
authentic.
While testifying earlier on Tuesday, the convict who said he
married two wives in Sambisa Forest after joining the sect,
described himself as “an Islamic warrior, and a commander in the
Islamic army”.
The convict who spoke in Hausa and his testimony interpreted in
English during the proceedings, confirmed that as a commander in
the Boko Haram sect, he had over 100 lieutenants under him.
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