Court jails man 20 years for withholding intelligence on suspected bandit

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a man, Muhammad Sani, to 20 years imprisonment for failing to provide security agencies with information about the activities of an alleged notorious bandit and arms supplier.

Sani, who was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in January 2023, was prosecuted on a four-count charge relating to terrorism-related offences under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

According to court documents, the DSS accused Sani of concealing information about a suspected bandit identified as Danranmi, who was alleged to be involved in supplying arms and ammunition to kidnappers and bandits operating in and around Niger State.

The prosecution said Sani had information that could have aided the arrest of the suspect but failed to disclose it to law enforcement authorities, thereby enabling the alleged bandit to evade capture.

The agency also alleged that Sani received N580,000 from Danranmi to procure 150 rounds of ammunition from an individual identified as “Chairman”, despite having reasonable grounds to believe the ammunition would be used in the commission of terrorism-related offences.

Delivering judgment, Justice Emeka Nwite found Sani guilty on counts one and two of the charge and convicted him accordingly.

The judge sentenced him to 20 years imprisonment on each of the two counts without the option of a fine.

Justice Nwite ordered that the sentence should take effect from January 11, 2023, the date of Sani’s arrest.

The court further directed that the convict serve his jail term at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.

The conviction is part of ongoing efforts by security agencies and the judiciary to tackle terrorism, banditry and the illegal supply of weapons to criminal groups across the country.