A Federal High Court in Abuja delivered Kachallah family sentencing as the mother and sister of slain terrorist kingpin Kachallah Ibrahim Battujo each received 40-year terms for supporting his activities

Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, June 19, 2026, sentenced Safiya Salihu, the mother of slain terrorist kingpin Kachallah Ibrahim Battujo, and his sister Halima Abdullahi to 40 years’ imprisonment each after they pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges brought by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.

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The convictions stem from the women’s support for Battujo’s activities before he was killed by Nigerian security forces on June 10, 2026, during a failed mass abduction attempt on students sitting the West African Senior School Certificate Examination in a forest near Iluke, Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

Both women were found guilty on three counts, including aiding and abetting Battujo by passing information to him through telephone conversations, contrary to Section 26 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Safiya Salihu faced an additional conviction for concealing information after visiting her son’s forest camp and seeing him with firearms, while Halima Abdullahi was convicted for withholding details that could have assisted his arrest.

The court discharged them on two other counts related to receiving N490,300, which prosecutors alleged were proceeds of terrorism, following an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Oyedepo Rotimi (SAN).

Although each conviction carries a potential 20-year term, Justice Yilwa ordered the sentences to run concurrently.

The judge also directed that both women undergo rehabilitation after serving their terms.

This landmark Kachallah family sentencing underscores Nigeria’s firm stance against terrorism financing and support networks.

It comes amid ongoing efforts by security agencies to dismantle banditry and insurgency structures that have plagued parts of the north for years, often involving family members who provide logistical aid.

The prosecution highlighted how such seemingly small acts, including communication and concealment, enable high-profile criminals to evade capture and continue operations that threaten innocent lives, particularly vulnerable students and rural communities.

A source close to the investigation described the outcome as “a strong deterrent that sends a clear message: no one is above the law when it comes to supporting terror.”

While some observers note the harshness of the penalties on family members, authorities emphasise the need for accountability in the fight against banditry, which has claimed thousands of lives and displaced many more across the region.