The Federal government yesterday commenced the trials of over 500 terrorist suspects before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
About 120 of the terrorist suspects were brought to Federal High Court premises under a very tight security mounted by armed soldiers and armoured cars.
The suspects were consequently distributed to ten judges of the Federal High Court whose Easter vacation scheduled to begins today April 7th 2026 , appeared to have been set aside .
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who led the prosecution team headed by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) told journalists at the Federal High Court Abuja that the trial venues for terrorists have been shifted from Maiduguri Borno State Capital and Kanji military Cantonment in Niger State to Abuja for logistics reasons.
The judges convicted and sentenced almost all the suspects who appeared in court to various jail terms ranging from 7 years, 10 years and 20 years depending on the seriousness of offences.
A Boko Haram food suppliers one Hamatu Modu who faced four count terrorism charge was jailed 10 years on each of the count.
Justice Binta Fatima Nyako of the Federal High Court Abuja sentenced one of the major Boko Haram terrorists food supplier in Borno state, Hamatu Modu to 40 years imprisonment for his involvement in terrorism activities.
Modu who confessed in the open court to supplying food items and information to terrorists was put on trial by the federal government through the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
The four count charge was on Tuesday read to his hearing and and interpreted to him in Hausa and Kanuri languages , Modu pleaded guilty to the charges.
The Director of the Public Prosecution of the Federation DPPF Rotimi Oyedepo SAN led the prosecution asked the judge to convict him accordingly.
In her judgment, Justice Nyako sentenced him to 10 years on each of the count but due to plead for leniency by the defense counsel, the judge ordered that the sentences should run concurrently giving the convict opportunity to spend only 10 years.
In another development, Isah Ali another food supplier also in Borno also got 10 years jail terms from Justice Nyako.
His jail term will however start running from three years back when he was arrested and clamped into detention.
The convict confessed to committing the offence as charged.
Justice Nyako ordered that the convicts be made to undergo rehabilitation and deradicalization programs at the end of their service of the jail terms.
The Federal Ministry of Interior was ordered to determine where the two men will serve their jail terms.
Justice Binta Fatima Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja also sentenced a father of six children, Hamza Yahuza to seven years imprisonment for selling indian hemps and cigarettes to Boko Haram terrorists in Borno state.
Yahuza on Tuesday admitted in the open court to committing the offense in 2023 and begged the court profusely for forgiveness.
The convict is one of the suspects brought to the court for trial by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice for aiding and abetting terrorism against the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Yahuza also admitted supplying various drugs to the terrorists in parts of Monguno local government area of Borno.
In the one count charge, the 40 years old convict upon confession sought leniency which Justice Binta Fatima Nyako rejected.
The Judge also rejected the claims that it was poverty that pushed him into supplying drugs, indian hemp and cigarettes to the Boko Haram members.
Justice Nyako imposed seven years imprisonment on him but however ordered that the sentence should start from March 6, 2023 when the convict was apprehended and clamped into detention by the federal government.
Justice Nyako also convicted and sentenced one Master Giwa a farmer to seven years imprisonment for paying Zika to terrorists.
She also sentenced one Sariki Danlami to seven years imprisonment for paying N15,000 to terrorists to allow him fish as a means of livelihood.