DSS Secures 20-Year Jail Term for Woman Over Terrorism, Arms Trafficking
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced a housewife, Halima Haliru Umar, to 20 years imprisonment for unlawful possession of 302 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition and for supporting acts of terrorism.
The judgment was delivered on Friday by Justice Hauwa Joseph Yilwa following the defendant’s guilty plea to two of the four-count charges filed against her by the Department of State Services (DSS).
In her ruling, Justice Yilwa described terrorism, banditry, and arms trafficking as grave threats to national security, stressing that such offences must not be treated with leniency considering the prevailing security challenges confronting the country.
Although the convict pleaded for mercy and expressed remorse, the court held that crimes linked to terrorism and the proliferation of illegal arms posed serious dangers to public safety and national stability.
The court heard that the defendant confessed to acting as a courier in the transportation of ammunition intended for armed bandits operating in Plateau State.
Testifying before the court, the first prosecution witness and DSS operative, Fahad Tahir, stated that the accused was arrested on July 6, 2025, while allegedly conveying 302 rounds of AK-47 live ammunition alongside the sum of N57,100 to suspected bandits in Plateau State.
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According to the witness, the defendant made a confessional statement in Hausa at the DSS Plateau State Command, where she disclosed that one Alhaji Sani directed her to travel to Zaria, Kaduna State, to obtain the ammunition from another individual.
Tahir further told the court that the defendant was subsequently transferred to the DSS National Headquarters in Abuja on Aug. 11, 2025, where another interview was conducted in the presence of a lawyer from the Legal Aid Council.
During the interview, the defendant again admitted ownership and transportation of the ammunition and the cash recovered from her at the time of arrest.
The prosecution counsel, Dr. Callistus Samson Ezeh, tendered the 302 rounds of ammunition, the N57,100 cash exhibit, and the defendant’s confessional statements as evidence before the court.
The exhibits were admitted without objection from defence counsel, Hamza Dantani.
In open court, the defendant also admitted being in possession of the ammunition and cash when she was apprehended.
One of the charges stated that the convict knowingly rendered support for acts of terrorism by transporting 302 rounds of AK-47 live ammunition between Katsina and Plateau States, contrary to Section 13(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Another count accused her of unlawful possession of ammunition contrary to Section 8(1) of the Firearms Act, 2004.
The DSS further alleged that the defendant concealed information relating to suspected gunrunners and kidnappers linked to terrorist activities.
Following her guilty plea and the review of evidence presented by the prosecution, Justice Yilwa convicted and sentenced the defendant to 20 years imprisonment.
By PRNigeria
