Abuja Court Jails Gana’s Alleged Informant 40 Years, IPOB Member 20 Years

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a man identified as Sunday Frank to 40 years in prison for providing intelligence to the late Benue militia leader Terwase Akwaza, popularly known as Gana, while a separate ruling saw a self-confessed member of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Paul Okechukwu, jailed for 20 years for belonging to the proscribed organisation.

The sentences were handed down during the ongoing trial of terrorism suspects before the court, in cases prosecuted by the Federal Government.

Frank, who hails from Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, was accused of monitoring the movements of security personnel and passing information to Gana across Benue and Taraba states.

Gana, who was killed by security operatives in September 2020, was described in court proceedings as a militia leader linked to armed violence in Benue State.

The four-count charge against Frank also alleged that he kidnapped a man identified as Samuel in 2022 and detained him until a ransom of ₦40,000 was paid for his release. The prosecution brought the charges under sections 21 and 24 of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022.

Frank denied the first three counts relating to the alleged abduction but pleaded guilty to the fourth count, which concerned providing information to Gana. The court convicted him on that count, while the prosecution requested that the remaining three counts be struck out.

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi personally prosecuted the case. During the proceedings, a prosecution witness identified only as “AAA” to protect his identity told the court that he had participated in the investigation of the defendant.

The witness said Frank had made oral and written confessions admitting that he served as an informant to Gana and supplied information about security agents’ movements. According to the witness, Frank also confessed to involvement in banditry and the abduction of two people.

Following the conviction, the court sentenced Frank to 40 years’ imprisonment and directed that he undergo rehabilitation and deradicalisation after completing his prison term.

In a separate case, the court sentenced Okechukwu to 20 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to belonging to IPOB, which the Nigerian government has proscribed.

The Federal Government alleged that Okechukwu, from Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, belonged to the organisation in 2021 while in Imo State.

A second count accused him of participating in an attack in which two security operatives were killed, contrary to the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013. Okechukwu pleaded not guilty to that allegation but admitted the charge relating to his membership of the proscribed group.

The conviction and sentence were based on his guilty plea to the membership charge; the separate allegation concerning the deaths of the security personnel was not admitted.

The cases form part of the Federal Government’s ongoing mass trials of people accused of terrorism-related offences. The proceedings are part of broader efforts by the authorities to prosecute individuals suspected of supporting armed groups and other organisations accused of violent activities.

The two judgments underscore the severe prison terms courts can impose for terrorism-related offences, although each defendant’s conviction must be understood in relation to the specific count admitted or proved before the court.