Court Jails Housewife 20 Years for Supplying Ammunition to Bandits in Plateau

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a housewife, Halima Haliru Umar, to 20 years imprisonment for terrorism-related offences involving the unlawful possession and transportation of 302 rounds of live ammunition allegedly meant for bandits in Plateau State.

Justice Hauwa Joseph Yilwa delivered the judgment on Friday after the defendant pleaded guilty to two out of the four charges filed against her by the Department of State Services.

Although the convict pleaded for mercy and expressed remorse, the court held that the growing threat of banditry and terrorism in the country required strict punishment.

According to court proceedings, Halima admitted to rendering support for terrorism by acting as a courier transporting ammunition to suspected bandits operating in Plateau State.

A DSS operative, Fahad Tahir, who testified as the first prosecution witness, told the court that the defendant was arrested on July 6, 2025, in possession of 302 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition and N57,100 cash while allegedly transporting the items to bandits.

The witness further stated that during interrogation at the DSS Plateau State Command, the accused confessed in Hausa that one Alhaji Sani sent her to Zaria, Kaduna State, to procure the ammunition from another individual.

Tahir added that the suspect was later transferred to the DSS National Headquarters in Abuja, where she reportedly made another statement in the presence of a lawyer from the Legal Aid Council, again admitting involvement in the transportation of the ammunition.

During the trial, DSS counsel Callistus Samson Ezeh tendered the ammunition, cash exhibits, and the defendant’s statements before the court without objection from defence counsel Hamza Dantani.

The court admitted the exhibits, while the defendant also confirmed in open court that she was arrested with the ammunition and cash.

The charges against Halima included concealing information about suspected gun-runners and kidnappers, providing material support for terrorism, attempting to aid terrorism through transportation of ammunition, and unlawful possession of firearms ammunition under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Firearms Act.

Justice Yilwa subsequently convicted and sentenced her to 20 years imprisonment.