Court Sentences Woman to Death for Supplying Ammunition to Bandit Leader in Zamfara

A Federal High Court sitting in Katsina State has sentenced a woman, Hauwa’u Mukhtar, to death by hanging after finding her guilty of terrorism-related offences connected to bandit activities in Nigeria’s North-West region.

The court convicted Mukhtar on charges of conspiracy to commit terrorism and aiding terrorist operations by attempting to transport a large quantity of ammunition to a notorious bandit commander operating in Zamfara State.

The judgment followed a criminal trial arising from her arrest by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) on September 16, 2023, at Jibia Motor Park in Katsina State.

According to the prosecution, security operatives intercepted Mukhtar while she was allegedly conveying 438 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition destined for a wanted bandit leader identified as Ado. Investigators told the court that the ammunition was intended to strengthen the operational capacity of the criminal group and facilitate further attacks in the region.

The prosecution further stated that the intended recipient was a notorious bandit commander believed to be operating from the expansive Dunburum Forest, a well-known criminal enclave that has served as a base for armed gangs responsible for kidnappings, killings, cattle rustling, and other violent attacks across Zamfara State and neighbouring areas.

Following her arrest, the DSS arraigned Mukhtar before the Federal High Court in Katsina under Suit No. KTH/65C/2023. The case was presided over by Justice A. B. Bawale.

During the proceedings, the prosecution called witnesses and tendered documentary and material exhibits aimed at proving that the defendant knowingly participated in activities that supported terrorist and bandit operations. The court also heard submissions from the defence before reaching its final verdict.

Delivering judgment, Justice Bawale held that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt. The judge ruled that the evidence presented before the court was credible, convincing, and sufficient to sustain the charges brought against the defendant.

He subsequently found Mukhtar guilty on both counts of conspiracy to commit terrorism and aiding and abetting terrorist activities.

In handing down the sentence, the court noted the gravity of the offences and their implications for national security, particularly in a region that has witnessed years of violent attacks by armed groups.

Justice Bawale thereafter sentenced Mukhtar to death by hanging in line with the provisions of the Penal Code Law of Katsina State, 2021.

The judgment represents one of the most significant convictions in recent years involving the alleged supply of weapons and ammunition to armed groups operating in the North-West, where security agencies have intensified efforts to disrupt the logistics networks sustaining bandit and terrorist activities.