Court Sentences Boko Haram Member Alkali Yarima To Death By Hanging Over 2015 Maiduguri Attacks

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a Boko Haram member, Alkali Yarima, also known as La’ari, to death by hanging for participating in the attacks on Maiduguri in 2015.

Justice James Omotosho also sentenced Yarima to life imprisonment on count six of the charge, bordering on receiving training on arms and weapon handling in preparation to commit acts of terrorism.

The convict was sentenced to 35 years imprisonment on count one, 30 years on count five, and 10 years each on counts two, three and four.

Vanguard reported that the Federal Government had, in the charge marked FHC/KNJ/CR/971/2026, preferred a seven-count charge against the convict. The charge was dated May 26 and filed on May 29 by Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation.

In count one, which attracted a 35-year jail term, Yarima, with chest number 1636 of the Lawanti area of Mafa Local Government Area in Borno State, was alleged to have, between 2009 and 2015, professed membership and continued to belong to Boko Haram, a proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria.

He was accused of accepting “Da’awah from Mohammed Yusuf”, the founder of Boko Haram. The offence is punishable under Section 16(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention Amendment) Act, 2013.

In count six, where he received life imprisonment, the convict was alleged to have engaged in conduct in preparation to commit acts of terrorism when he travelled to an Arab country for training on arms and weapon handling.

Premium Times reported that one of the charges accused the convict of engaging in conduct preparatory to committing terrorist acts through the foreign training.

Sources: Vanguard, Premium Times