Court jails terrorist kingpin’s mother, sister for 40 years

The mother and sister of a notorious terrorist kingpin have been sentenced to 40 years in prison each for their roles in supporting his violent activities. Safiya Salihu and Halima Abdullahi, mother and sister of the late Kachallah Ibrahim Battujo, received the sentence from a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Both women pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges, admitting to aiding and abetting Battujo's operations. Their conviction stemmed from passing information to the kingpin via telephone conversations, a direct violation of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022. Safiya Salihu was also convicted for concealing information after visiting her son's forest camp and witnessing him armed.

Halima Abdullahi faced a separate conviction for withholding information that could have led to Battujo's arrest. The court discharged them on charges related to receiving funds directly from Battujo, which were alleged to be proceeds of terrorism. Battujo himself was killed by Nigerian security forces in June 2026 following a failed attempt to abduct students in Kogi State.

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That you HALIMA ABDULLAHI and SAFIYA SALIHU... did commit an offence, when you aided and abetted the activities of Battujo a known bandit Kingpin and passed information through telephone conversations to the said Battujo, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 26 of the Terrorism (Prevention Prohibition) Act, 2022.