Sokoto court sentences three men, including a Nigerien, to death for terrorism and arms trafficking offences after DSS-led investigation
A Sokoto State High Court on Tuesday, 24 June 2026, in Sokoto, Nigeria, sentenced three men, including a Nigerien national, to death by hanging after finding them guilty of terrorism-related offences, arms trafficking and cross-border criminal activities.
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The ruling was delivered by Justice Bello, who convicted the defendants identified as Yusuf Muhammad, also known as Sallau, Jabbi Alhaji Yalle, and Kabiru Muhammad, following their arrest and prosecution by security operatives.
The court held that the prosecution had successfully proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, leading to the conviction of all three defendants on charges connected to terrorism and illegal arms proliferation.
The sentencing followed their arrest on 13 June 2025 by operatives of the Department of State Services Counter-Terrorism Unit, who reportedly linked them to cross-border criminal operations involving weapons supply networks.
Justice Bello, in his judgment, ordered that the convicts be sentenced to death by hanging and further directed that all monetary exhibits recovered during investigations be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The case adds to a growing number of terrorism-related convictions across Nigeria, as security agencies intensify operations against armed groups and transnational criminal networks operating within and across national borders.
In recent months, courts across the country have delivered similar judgments in cases involving arms trafficking, banditry support networks and violent extremist activities, many of which have been investigated by the Department of State Services.
Just days before the Sokoto ruling, a Federal High Court in Katsina sentenced a female arms courier to death after she was found guilty of transporting ammunition to a suspected bandit leader, underscoring the expanding scope of security prosecutions.
Another notable judgment came from a Federal High Court in Abuja, where several defendants were sentenced to death for their roles in the deadly attack on worshippers at St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, which claimed dozens of lives.
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Security analysts say the rising number of convictions reflects intensified judicial backing for anti-terror operations, even as authorities continue efforts to dismantle armed networks across northern and central Nigeria.
