Court Sentences Two Borno Farmers to 11 Years in Prison for Aiding Boko Haram

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced two farmers from Borno State, Manle Modu and Bulama Modu Awaye, to 11 years’ imprisonment each for offences linked to supporting Boko Haram terrorists.

Justice Binta Fatima Nyako handed down the sentences after the defendants pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges brought against them by the Federal Government through the Department of State Services (DSS).

The two men were among 48 suspects scheduled for trial before Justice Nyako as part of the Federal Government’s ongoing prosecution of suspected terrorists and their alleged collaborators.

Manle Modu, a resident of Burari village in Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State, admitted that he deliberately failed to inform the authorities about Boko Haram’s activities in his community.

He was convicted for violating Section 8(1)(b) of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2013, by withholding information about the presence and activities of the insurgents from the Federal Government.

During the proceedings, Modu argued that reporting the terrorists would have put his life in danger. However, the judge rejected the explanation, holding that the fear he expressed did not excuse his failure to report their presence to the appropriate authorities.

Justice Nyako sentenced him to 11 years in prison but ordered that the term should run from 2016, when he was arrested and detained.

The second defendant, Bulama Modu Awaye, from Maitari village in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, faced charges bordering on membership of Boko Haram, raising cattle for members of the group and failing to provide security agencies with information about their presence in his community.

Awaye admitted that he knew of the terrorists’ presence but did not report them to the authorities. He told the court that the insurgents had entered his village in 2014 and that he feared being killed if he reported them.

The judge also sentenced him to 11 years’ imprisonment, directing that the term should commence from the date of his arrest by the DSS in 2016. The Federal Ministry of Interior is to determine the correctional facility where he will serve the sentence.

The court’s decision forms part of the Federal Government’s wider efforts to prosecute individuals accused of supporting Boko Haram and other terrorist groups operating in the country.

The cases underscore the legal consequences of concealing information about terrorist activities, even where defendants claim they acted out of fear of retaliation.