Self confessed Boko Haram terrorist, Abubakar Goni jailed for 30 years
A self-admitted member of Boko Haram, Abubakar Goni, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Goni, who hails from Daira village in Gubi Local Government Area of Yobe State, received the sentence from Justice Binta Nyako on Friday. Goni acknowledged that he joined the designated terrorist group more than 15 years ago.
He faced a five-count indictment brought by the Federal Government, which included charges related to his membership in Boko Haram, receiving training in the use of AK-47 assault rifles, conducting terror attacks against civilians, and stealing food to supply to Boko Haram fighters. Goni was also accused of launching attacks on communities in the Niger Republic before his arrest by the Department of State Services (DSS) in 2016.
During the proceedings, Goni confessed to being a member of Boko Haram but denied the additional allegations against him. Following his admission, Justice Nyako invoked Section 16(1) of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2013, to impose the 30-year sentence.
Goni’s defense attorney, Dauda Hassan, pleaded for leniency, arguing that his client’s admission of guilt demonstrated remorse and had not unnecessarily prolonged the trial. Citing Goni’s status as a first-time offender, Justice Nyako ordered that the sentence would date back to 2016, the year he was apprehended and detained by the DSS.
Furthermore, the judge directed the Federal Ministry of Interior to determine the facility in which Goni will serve his sentence.
