A Yobe State High Court, sitting in Potiskum, Yobe State, has sentenced a dismissed soldier, Lance Corporal John Gabriel, to death by hanging for killing an Islamic cleric, late Sheikh Goni Aisami.
The court also sentenced Gabriel’s accomplice, Lance Corporal Adamu Gideon, to 10 years imprisonment.
The accused soldiers confessed to have conspired to murder the Sheik last August.
Justice Usman Zanna Mohammed convicted Gabriel, with Nigerian Army number N/A13/69/6522 attached to 241 Recce Battalion, Nguru, and Gideon, after he found them guilty of the offences of murder and conspiracy, respectively.
While delivering judgement, Justice Mohammed held that after careful consideration of the facts before the court and the failure of the defendants to provide essential witnesses to corroborate their claim, he sentenced the two convicts in line with the provisions of the law.
Sheikh Aisami, a popular Islamic cleric based in Gashua, Yobe State, was killed in Karasuwa local government area of the State by Gabriel whom he gave a free ride on his way to Gashua from Kano State on August 22, 2022.
Angered by the action of the ex-soldiers, the Yobe State Government, through the Ministry of Justice, took the matter to court, which led to the their conviction.
