Hussaini Ismaila, a leader of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has been convicted of terrorism and sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the judgment after Ismaila, also known as Mai Tangaran, pleaded guilty to a four-count terrorism charge brought against him by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The prosecution stated that Ismaila coordinated several attacks in Kano State in 2012, including those on the Police Headquarters in Bompai, the Mobile Police Base on Kabuga Road, Pharm Centre Police Station, and Angwa Uku Police Station, which resulted in numerous injuries. Ismaila was arrested on August 31, 2017, in Tsamiyya Babba Village, Gezewa LGA, Kano State, and charged under the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.
The trial faced delays due to appeals and a trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness of the defendant’s extra-judicial statements.
When proceedings resumed, the prosecution presented five witnesses, including two DSS officials and two eyewitnesses. Initially pleading not guilty, Ismaila later changed his plea to guilty after the fifth witness testified.
His lawyer, P. B. Onijah of the Legal Aid Council, pleaded for leniency, stating that Ismaila was remorseful, regretted his involvement in terrorism, and sought to avoid wasting the court’s time.
Justice Nwite sentenced Ismaila to 15 years for count one and 20 years for counts two, three, and four, with the sentences to run concurrently.
The sentencing will be retroactive, starting from his arrest date on August 31, 2017.
The judge also directed the Controller-General of the Correctional Service to confine Ismaila in a facility of their choice, where he will undergo rehabilitation and deradicalization before reintegration into society after serving his sentence.
