One year after a proposal for stiffer punishment against kidnappers and terrorists sparked national debate, a Federal High Court verdict in Abuja has brought that proposal full circle.
The court recently sentenced three men to life imprisonment over their roles in the May 15 abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
But the judgment is already setting the courts against the country’s secret police. The Department of State Services has rejected the sentence and vowed to appeal, demanding the death penalty instead.
Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court, Abuja, convicted Abdulrazak Umar, a.k.a. Abu Khalifa; Yunusa Musa, a.k.a. Yunusa bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, a.k.a. Abu Itisar.
All three pleaded guilty to parts of a 10-count charge filed by the Federal Government under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. The charges bordered on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment, incitement, and illegal mining.
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