12 sentenced to death over terrorism, kidnapping as DSS secures convictions

No fewer than 12 persons have been sentenced to death by hanging after being convicted in terrorism, kidnapping and other security-related cases prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS).

Court documents reviewed showed that the convictions were delivered by federal and state high courts across the country between May and June 2026. Several other defendants were handed prison terms ranging from two years to life imprisonment.

Among those sentenced to death were four men convicted over the June 5, 2022, terrorist attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.

On June 3, the Federal High Court sentenced Idris Omeiza, Alqasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik and Abdulhaleem Idris to death by hanging after finding them guilty of terrorism, membership of a terrorist organisation and conspiracy.

Also sentenced to death were Ibrahim Abubakar and Abdullahi Abubakar, who were convicted by the Ekiti State High Court for conspiracy to murder, murder and kidnapping.

The Kogi State High Court sentenced Jibrin Halilu to death after convicting him of conspiracy to kidnap and kidnapping, offences linked to the killing of Andrew Offo.

In Katsina State, Hauwa’u Mukhtar received the death penalty after being found guilty of conspiracy and aiding terrorism by supplying ammunition to a notorious bandit leader.

Similarly, the Sokoto State High Court sentenced Yusuf Muhammad, also known as Salau, Jabbi Alhaji Yalle and Kabiru A. Maradun to death after convicting them of criminal conspiracy, terrorism, arms trafficking and arms proliferation.

According to the DSS, the cases involved offences including terrorism, membership of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as well as supporting terrorist organisations, gun-running, terrorism financing and concealing information.

The report further disclosed that Abdullahi Mohammed Mustapha was also sentenced to death during the mass terrorism trials conducted between June 15 and 18 after he was convicted on terrorism-related charges.

In addition to the death sentences, several other defendants were convicted for belonging to Boko Haram or ISWAP, providing material support to terrorist groups, participating in terrorist activities, engaging in illegal arms trafficking and withholding information relevant to terrorism investigations.