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Court Sentences Boko Haram Member to Death Over 2015 Maiduguri Terror Attacks

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday sentenced a Boko Haram member, Alkali Yarima, also known as La’ari, to death by hanging for participating in the attacks on Maiduguri in 2015

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday sentenced a Boko Haram member, Alkali Yarima, also known as La’ari, to death by hanging for his participation in the 2015 terror attacks on Maiduguri, Borno State.

Justice James Omotosho, in a judgment, also sentenced Yarima to life imprisonment on count six of the charge, bordering on receiving training on arms and weapon handling in preparation to commit acts of terrorism.

While the convict was committed to a 35-year imprisonment in count one, Justice Omotosho sentenced him to a 30-year jail term in count five.

The judge, thereafter, handed down a 10-year imprisonment for Yarima on each of counts two, three and four of the charge.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government had, in the charge marked FHC/KNJ/CR/971/2026, preferred a seven-count charge against the convict.

The charge was dated May 26 and filed on May 29 by Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, Director, Public Prosecutions of the Federation.

In count one, which attracted a 35-year jail term, Yarima (aka La’ari), with chest number 1636 of the Lawanti area of the Mafa local government area in Borno, was alleged to have, sometime between 2009 and 2015 at the time of his arrest, professed membership and continued to belong to the Boko Haram group, a proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria.

The offence is punishable under Section 16 (1) of the Terrorism (Prevention Amendment) Act, 2013.

In count six, where he bagged a life imprisonment, the convict was alleged to have “engaged in conduct in preparation to commit acts of terrorism when you travelled to an Arab country for training on arms and weapon handling.”

The offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 21 of the Terrorism (Prevention Amendment) Act, 2013.