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A High Court in Sokoto State has sentenced three men, including a foreign national, to death by hanging after finding them guilty of terrorism-related offences and illegal arms trafficking.
The convicts, identified as Yusuf Muhammad, also known as Sallau, a citizen of Niger Republic, alongside Jabbi Alhaji Yalle and Kabiru Muhammad, were arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) Counter-Terrorism Unit on June 13, 2025.
They were apprehended over their alleged involvement in cross-border criminal activities linked to arms trafficking and terrorism.
The judgment was delivered by Justice Muhammad Nuraddeen Bello of High Court No. 23, Sokoto, in suit number SS/45c/2026.
In his ruling, Justice Bello found the three defendants guilty on all counts and ordered that they be executed by hanging.
The court also directed that all funds and monetary exhibits recovered from the convicts be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The conviction marks another successful prosecution in ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and transnational criminal networks operating within and around Nigeria's borders.
The judgment comes barely two weeks after the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced five terrorism suspects to 25 years imprisonment each for their involvement in the November 2025 attack on St. Mary's Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State.
The five suspects, including two citizens of Niger Republic, were arrested by DSS operatives on May 31, 2026, and later arraigned on terrorism-related charges.
Justice Binta Nyako handed down the prison terms after the defendants pleaded guilty to all four counts filed against them.
The charges included providing support for terrorist activities in violation of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, as well as offences under the Firearms Act.
According to court documents, the suspects conspired to transport 15 AK-103 rifles and approximately 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition from the Diffa Region of Niger Republic to a suspected Boko Haram member identified as Malam Ahmad in Borgu, Niger State.
The prosecution argued that the act constituted material support for terrorism and posed a significant threat to national security.
The recent convictions underscore ongoing efforts by security agencies and the judiciary to dismantle terrorist networks, curb illegal arms trafficking and strengthen Nigeria's counter-terrorism framework.
