By Vivian Okejeme
Justice Hauwa Joseph Yilwa of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Friday, sent a house wife, Haliru Halima Umar to 20 years in prison over unlawful possession of 302 rounds live ammunition of AK-47 Rifles.
The conviction came after the woman pleaded guilty to the two of the four count charges brought against her by the Department of State Service(DSS).
She admitted rendering support to the acts of terrorism by serving as courier for supplying of ammunitions to bandits in Plateau state.
The convict who expressed remorsefulness pleaded for leniency.
In his judgement, Justice Yilwa said the issue of banditry has become a cancer threatening life of the citizenry and should not be treated with kids glove
At the proceedings, a DSS operative and first prosecution witness, Fahad Tahir had narrated to the court how the house wife was on July 6, 2025 apprehended by DSS operatives with 302 rounds of AK-47 Rifle live ammunitions and N57, 100 cash while being transported to a group of bandits in Plateau state.
Upon arrest, the witness had said that the accused person made a statement in Hausa language at the Plateau Command office of the DSS admitting that one, Alhaji Sani sent her to Zaria in Kaduna state to procure the ammunition from another person.
Tahir said that the accused person was on August 11, 2025 subsequently moved from Plateau state to Abuja national headquarters of the DSS where the second round of interview was conducted.
The DSS operatives explained that in the presence of a lawyer from the Legal Aid Council, the accused person made another statement in Hausa language where she also admitted her arrest with the ammunition and the N57, 100 cash.
Led in evidence-in-chief by DSS counsel, Dr Callistus Samson Ezeh, the witness tendered the 302 live ammunition, N57, 100 cash and her statements among others which were admitted as exhibits following no objections by Hamza Dantani, lawyer to the defendant.
In the open court, the accused person was shown the live ammunitions and the cash and confessed that she was arrested with them.
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