Mohammed Yusuf’s follower bags 50 years jail term

A Federal High Court sitting in Wawa Cantonment, Kainji, New Bussa, Niger State has sentenced a follower of the late founder of the Boko Haram sect, Mohammed Yusuf to 50 years imprisonment.

The court found Yusuf Mohammed, 27, guilty on two counts of professing to be a member of the Boko Haram sect, and for committing acts of terrorism by participating in attacks in Borno and Adamawa states.

The court awarded him 50 years sentence for each of the two counts, which will run concurrently in any prison chosen by the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Prisons Service.

The convict claimed to have been involved in sect for seven years and vowed to rejoin the group whenever he is released.

“If I happen to go out, I will still go and join Boko Haram group and make sure I attack until people change and follow the religion and the sect,” he said.

The court discharged a 17 year old female Boko Haram member. The discharge order followed the withdrawal of charges against her by the Federal Government’s prosecution team.

The girl, a native of Tofa Local Government of Kano State, who was married off to a Boko Haram member in 2014 at the age of 12, was arrested same year.

The court also noted her age and the pledge to discourage her peers against participating in Boko Haram activities, and referred to the programme of de-radicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration for three years.

Hearing continues on today.