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Nursing Mother Arrested in Plateau With 302 AK-47 Bullets Sentenced to 20 Years in Jail

Published

1 month ago

May 15, 2026

Preport

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a woman, Halima Haliru Umar, to 20 years imprisonment following her conviction on the offences of unlawful possession of 302 rounds of AK-47 live ammunition and attempt to render support for the commission of acts of terrorism.

The convict had, during her arraignment on March 11, pleaded guilty to two counts contained in a four-count charge brought against her by the Department of State Services (DSS), which arrested her in Plateau State.

The facts of the offences charged in counts three and four, to which she pleaded guilty, were reviewed after her arraignment, following which Justice Hauwa Yilwa adjourned for judgment in relation to the two counts that she admitted.

In her judgment on Friday, Justice Yilwa noted that the convict pleaded guilty to counts three and four on the four-count charge on the day of her arraignment.

The judge added that by her guilty plea, she admitted the facts as presented by the prosecution, without presenting any evidence in her defence.

Justice Yilwa said: “The defendant, having admitted the facts of the offence as presented by the prosecution, the court is satisfied. She is accordingly convicted on counts three and four.”

Following the defendant’s conviction, defence lawyer Hamza Dantani pleaded with the court to be lenient in dispensing judgment against the defendant.

Dantani said the convict is a first-time offender who is remorseful. He added that she did not waste the court’s time in relation to counts three and four.

The defence lawyer told the court that his client is a nursing mother of a one-year-old child who was arrested with her and pleaded with the court to do justice with mercy.

Prosecuting lawyer, Dr. Caliatus Eze, said the prosecution has no record of the convict’s previous conviction.

Justice Yilwa, who suspended proceedings briefly, later returned to pronounce her sentence by sentencing the convict to 20 years on count three and to one year on count four.

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The judge adjourned till July 9 for the prosecution to commence trial in respect of counts one and two on the charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/450/2025, to which the convict pleaded not guilty.

The two counts that the convict admitted are: “That you, Halima Haliru Umar of Unguwan Boka, Faskari LGA, Katsina State, adult, female, sometime on 7th July, 2025, at Barkin Ladi LGA and Jos North LGA of Plateau State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did attempt to render support for the commission of acts of terrorism by providing material assistance and transportation of three hundred and two (302) rounds of AK-47 rifle live ammunition, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 28 (1) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 13 (1) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

“That you, Halima Haliru Umar of Unguwan Boka, Faskari LGA, Katsina State, adult, female, sometime on 7th July, 2025, at Jos North LGA of Plateau State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did have in your possession three hundred and Two (302) rounds of AK-47 rifle live ammunition, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(1) of Firearms Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) of the same Act.”

While reviewing the facts in relation to the two counts, a DSS operative, Fahad Tahir, gave details of how the defendant was arrested and how she came about the live ammunition.

Tahir told the court that he got to know the convict in the course of investigating the case, adding that she was transferred to the Abuja headquarters of the DSS on August 11, 2025, by its Plateau State Command after she was arrested while in possession of 302 live rounds of 7.6 by 39mm ammunition.

The witness added: “My director instructed me and my team to carry out further investigation.

“We received the defendant with the following items: 302 live rounds of ammunition, her voluntary confessional statement, written in Hausa and English; the statement of the arresting officer, the compact disc containing the audiovisual recording of her interview session, investigation report from the Plateau State Command and the sum of N57,100.

“After receiving the defendant and the items mentioned, we proceeded to conduct further investigation into the case by examining the items earlier mentioned and also interviewing the defendant, which was audio/visually recorded and in the presence of an official of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria.

“In the course of the interview, she narrated how, on the 6th of July 2025 one Sani instructed her to go to Zaria in Kaduna State to help him collect a message from someone. She said Sani gave her the sum of N50,000 for her travel expenses.

“She stated that, upon her arrival in Zaria, Sani further instructed her to proceed to Jos in Plateau State. On getting to Jos, Sani directed her to one Alhaji, who later handed over a waste bag containing 302 live ammunition.

“She stated that on her way back to Jos, she was arrested while being in possession of the 302 rounds of live ammunition.

“She volunteered her statement in Hausa language and was interpreted by my colleague into English language, since she is an illiterate in the English language.

“At the conclusion of our investigation, we wrote our investigation report and submitted it to the Director,” the witness said.

Related Topics:AK47 Arrested Bullets Jail mother Nursing plateau Sentenced years

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Imo senatorial aspirant, Nwachukwu drags NDC to court over ticket denial

Published

2 hours ago

June 17, 2026

Preport

A Senatorial Aspirant, Isaac Nwachukwu, has dragged Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, before a Federal High Court Sitting in Owerri, Imo State, over the fallout of the party’s National Assembly primaries.

Nwachukwu, in a suit filed through his Counsel, Cajethan Oguzie, accused the party of denying him the Imo North senatorial ticket after emerging a consensus candidate and paying N5m for the nomination form.

The suit also disclosed that Nwachukwu had paid N20m for the support of the party, but his support was unexplainably reduced to N10m when the list of those who supported the party was published.

The NDC Senatorial Aspirant, in his prayers before the court, demanded that a declaration should be made that he is the consensus candidate of the party in the state with regard to the Imo North Senatorial Zone in the 2027 General election.

“A declaration that the first defendant, NDC, be restrained from fielding another candidate except the plaintiff in the General election into the Imo North Senatorial Zone as he is the consensus candidate for the said election.

“A declaration that the second defendant, INEC, be perpetually restrained from recognising and accepting the candidacy of another person except the plaintiff in the Imo North Senatorial election pending the determination of the matter,” the suit stated.

In an affidavit supporting the originating summons, Nwachukwu stated that he purchased the expression of interest form to aspire for the position for Imo North senatorial zone, a copy of which is attached in the suit already filed.

The NDC Senatorial Aspirant added that upon the purchase of the form, he made a monetary contribution in support of the party’s growth in the tune of N20m into the party’s FCMB account number through his Counsel, receipt also attached in the suit as an exhibit.

“The first sign of irregularity and no compliance with the NDC constitution and electoral act came up when the N20m I paid for party support was allocated to one of the aspirants for my Senatorial District by the name Matthew Omegara, and the N10m that Matthew Omegara paid for party support was allocated to me by the Screening Committee headed by Sam Egwu and Buba Galadimma.

” In compliance with NDC’s directives, I participated in the NDC screening exercise and was successfully cleared as an aspirant to participate in the primary election.

After my consensus candidacy was ratified, my name was shortlisted as a Candidate for Imo North district. A copy of the result is hereby annexed as Exhibit 1U5,” the affidavit added.

Nwachukwu alleged that his name was substituted with Omegara after he had been declared the winner of the primary election.

The Imo North Senatorial Aspirant claimed that the National leader of the party, Seriake Dickson, had summoned him for a meeting telling him that his candidacy was affected after a party chieftain from his state said he didn’t know him.

Among other demands, Nwachukwu is asking the court to order NDC to issue him a certificate as its candidate for the Imo North Senatorial District.

News

ADC raises alarm over alleged membership forgery in Zamfara

Published

5 hours ago

June 17, 2026

Preport

Supporters and members of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Anka and Talata Mafara Local Government Areas of Zamfara State have alleged attempts to manipulate the party’s membership records and card numbers ahead of internal political activities.
The allegation was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday in Gusau by Nura Rabiu Cibiki, Director of Media and Strategy, Campaign and Mobilisation Committee for Abdulrahaman Yahaya, an aspirant for the House of Representatives seat representing Anka/Talata Mafara Federal Constituency.

The group warned against any attempt to alter or duplicate legitimate membership figures, saying such actions could deepen tensions within the party in the constituency.

“We strongly oppose any move to manipulate or duplicate legitimate membership figures, warning that such actions would only worsen existing tensions within the party and the Anka/Talata Mafara Federal Constituency,” the statement said.

The supporters maintained that ADC members in Anka and Talata Mafara were aware of the party’s authentic membership strength and were prepared to protect the integrity of the party’s records.

The statement added that while justice may be delayed, the truth could not be denied.

Meanwhile, Yahaya has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Gusau challenging alleged irregularities in the party’s primary election process in the constituency.

The court has fixed June 23, 2026, for mention of the case.