The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced the mother and sister of slain notorious bandit leader, Kachallah Ibrahim Battujo, to 20 years imprisonment each for supporting terrorism and aiding criminal activities linked to the late kingpin.
The convicted women, Safiya Salihu and Halima Abdullahi, were found guilty after pleading guilty to charges brought against them by the Department of State Services (DSS). The court heard that the duo actively assisted the late terrorist leader by passing intelligence information through phone communications, concealing information regarding his firearms, and failing to disclose his whereabouts to security agencies.
Delivering judgment on June 19, 2026, Justice Hauwa Joseph Yilwa of the Federal High Court, Abuja, convicted and sentenced both women to 20 years imprisonment each. The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently and directed that the convicts undergo rehabilitation after serving their jail terms.
According to the DSS, investigations revealed that the two women maintained close contact with the notorious bandit commander and provided support that enabled him to evade security operations for a period.
Kachallah Ibrahim Battujo, widely regarded as one of the most feared bandit leaders operating in the North-Central region, was killed by security forces on June 10, 2026, during an intelligence-led operation in a forest near Iluke in Kogi State.
Security sources disclosed that joint forces comprising military personnel, police operatives, and local security agents tracked the bandit's movements through intelligence gathered after an attempted attack on Government Secondary School in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area. The operation resulted in the elimination of Battujo and several members of his armed gang.
The successful operation was widely praised by both the Kogi State Government and President Bola Tinubu, who described it as a major breakthrough in the ongoing fight against terrorism and banditry in the country.
Observers have also commended the swift prosecution and conviction of the two women, describing the judgment as a strong signal that individuals who provide support, intelligence, logistics, or shelter to terrorist groups will be held accountable under the law.
Security analysts noted that the ruling reinforces the principle that the fight against terrorism extends beyond armed fighters to include collaborators and enablers whose actions contribute to criminal operations and insecurity.
Abuja Network News
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