A 20-year-old man, Isa Isiaka, has been sentenced a man to 20 years in prison after his guilty plea to acts of terrorism which has caused loss of lives, people kidnapped and injured, as well as several destruction of properties, causing grief scenes in communities in the north region.
Isiaka was arraigned at the court where he admitted to have been concealing information about the activities of Boko Haram members, deliberately withholding intelligence that could have assisted security authorities in identifying and apprehending members of the insurgent group.
During the sitting at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, the prosecution held that the offender’s conduct amounted to a serious breach of national security obligations and contributed to efforts to shield the activities of the terrorist organisation.
Isiaka pleaded for mercy and beseeched the court to consider his personal circumstances, adding that he was a first-time offender and appealed for leniency on the grounds that he was responsible for two wives and 11 children.
“I appeal to the court to temper justice with mercy,” the convict pleaded during the proceedings, but the court the court declined the request, holding that the gravity of the offence outweighed the mitigating factors presented by the defendant.
Delivering judgment, Justice Binta Nyako ruled that the plea for leniency lacked sufficient merit in view of the nature of the crime and sentenced him accordingly without an option of a fine.
The prosecution, led by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), maintained that concealing information capable of exposing terrorist activities poses a significant threat to public safety and national security.