‎A housewife, Halima Haliru Umar, has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment after pleading guilty to charges brought by the Department of State Services (DSS) over unlawful possession and transportation of 302 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition.

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‎Justice Hauwa Joseph Yilwa of the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered the judgment on Friday.

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The convict pleaded guilty to two of the four-count charges levelled against her. Although she expressed remorse and begged for leniency, Justice Yilwa noted that banditry had become a serious threat to the lives of citizens and must not be treated with kid gloves.

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At her arraignment, Halima Haliru Umar admitted rendering support for the commission of acts of terrorism by acting as a courier supplying ammunition to bandits in Plateau State.

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During the trial, a DSS operative and first prosecution witness, Fahad Tahir, testified that the housewife was apprehended on July 6, 2025, by DSS operatives in possession of 302 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition and the sum of N57,100 while being transported to a group of bandits in Plateau State.

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‎Tahir told the court that the accused made a statement in Hausa at the DSS Plateau State Command, admitting that one Alhaji Sani sent her to Zaria in Kaduna State to procure the ammunition from another person.

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He added that on August 11, 2025, the accused was transferred from Plateau State to the DSS National Headquarters in Abuja, where a second interview was conducted in the presence of a lawyer from the Legal Aid Council. She again made a statement in Hausa, admitting her arrest with the ammunition and the cash.

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Led in evidence by DSS counsel, Callistus Samson Ezeh, the witness tendered the 302 rounds of live ammunition, the N57,100 cash, and the statements as exhibits.

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These were admitted without objection from the defence counsel, Hamza Dantani. In open court, the accused was shown the ammunition and cash and confessed that she was arrested with them.

The charges against the accused person are:

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‎COUNT ONE

‎That you, Halima Haliru Umar of Unguwan Boka, Faskari LGA, Katsina State, Adult, female, sometime in July, 2025, at Faskari LGA, Katsina State and Barkin Ladi LGA, Plateau State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly conceal information about one Alhaji Sani and one Alhaji (fnu), suspected Gun-runners, Bandits and Kidnappers, knowing the information to be of material assistance in apprehending and preventing the commissioning of acts of terrorism, but failed to disclose the information to any Law Enforcement or Security Officer, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 16 (1) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

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‎COUNT TWO

‎That you, Halima Haliru Umar of Unguwan Boka, Faskari LGA, Katsina State, Adult, female, sometime on 6″ and 7 July, 2025, at Faskari LGA, Katsina State and Barkin Ladi LGA, Plateau State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly 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 ammunitions, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 13 (1) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

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‎COUNT THREE

‎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 ammunitions, 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.

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‎COUNT FOUR

‎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 ammunitions, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 8(1) of the Firearms Act 2004 and punishable under section 27(1) of the same Act.

(Arise News)

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