Nigeria: 12 sentenced to death for terrorism, kidnapping offenses

Twelve defendants have been sentenced to death by hanging, with many others receiving lengthy prison terms in Nigeria following terrorism and kidnapping trials prosecuted by the State Security Service (SSS). Court documents reveal that those condemned to death were convicted of serious offenses including terrorism, conspiracy, kidnapping, murder, arms trafficking, and aiding terrorist groups.

A significant development in these trials was the June 3 sentence by the Federal High Court. Idris Omeiza, Alqasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, and Abdulhaleem Idris were all sentenced to death by hanging for their involvement in the June 5, 2022, attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State. This attack was a brutal act of terrorism that shocked the nation.

Dozens of other defendants received sentences ranging from two years to life imprisonment. These judgments were delivered by federal and state high courts between June 15 and 18. The SSS charged the convicts with a range of offenses, including terrorism, membership in groups like Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Other charges included rendering support to terrorist organizations, gun running, concealment of information, and terrorism financing. The convictions highlight the ongoing efforts to prosecute individuals involved in violent extremism and criminal activities within the country.