Federal High Court in Katsina State has sentenced a female arms courier, Hauwa’u Mukhtar, to death by hanging after finding her guilty of conspiracy to commit terrorism and aiding and abetting terrorist activities.
Gatekeepers News reports that Mukhtar was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) on September 16, 2023, at Jibia Motor Park in Katsina State while allegedly attempting to transport 438 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition to Ado, a suspected bandit kingpin operating in the Dunburum Forest area of Zamfara State.
The conviction represents the second death sentence secured by the DSS this month. On June 3, a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced four men to death by hanging over their roles in the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, which claimed the lives of more than 40 worshippers.
Security sources disclosed that the DSS arraigned Mukhtar on a two-count charge before High Court No. 3 in Katsina, presided over by Justice A. B. Bawale.
According to the sources, the court reviewed the evidence presented by the prosecution, including witness testimonies and exhibits, as well as the final addresses of both the prosecution and defence teams, before concluding that the charges had been proven beyond reasonable doubt.
The court subsequently found the defendant guilty on both counts and sentenced her to death by hanging in line with the provisions of the Katsina State Penal Code Law, 2021.
A security source described the judgment as a significant achievement for the DSS, saying it demonstrates the agency’s ability to intercept criminal networks and successfully prosecute offenders involved in terrorism-related activities.
The source also recalled that a Federal High Court in Abuja, about a month ago, sentenced another female arms courier, Halima Haliru Umar, to 20 years imprisonment for unlawful possession of 302 rounds of AK-47 ammunition and attempting to provide support for terrorist activities.
The latest ruling adds to a series of convictions secured by the DSS in its ongoing efforts to curb terrorism, banditry and related crimes across the country.
