A housewife, Halima Haliru Umar, has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by the Federal High Court in Abuja for unlawful possession and transportation of 302 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition, linked to banditry activities.

Justice Hauwa Joseph Yilwa delivered the judgment on Friday after the convict pleaded guilty to two counts of the four-count charge brought against her by the Department of State Services (DSS).

Despite expressing remorse and pleading for leniency, Justice Yilwa stressed that banditry poses a grave threat to citizens’ lives and must be treated with utmost seriousness. The judge noted that the convict acted as a courier, providing material support for acts of terrorism by supplying ammunition to bandits in Plateau State.

According to court testimony, Halima Haliru Umar was arrested on July 6, 2025, by DSS operatives in possession of 302 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition and N57,100 cash while transporting the items to bandits in Plateau State. A DSS operative, Fahad Tahir, told the court that the convict made confessional statements admitting that one Alhaji Sani sent her to Zaria, Kaduna State, to procure the ammunition.

The prosecution, led by Callistus Samson Ezeh, tendered the ammunition, cash, and her statements as exhibits, all of which were admitted without objection. In open court, Halima was shown the items and again confessed to being arrested with them.

Charges

She was convicted on counts relating to:

• Knowingly rendering support for terrorism by providing and transporting 302 rounds of AK-47 ammunition (Section 13(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022).
• Failure to disclose information about suspected gun-runners and bandits.

The other two counts involved attempt to render support for terrorism and unlawful possession of firearms ammunition under the Firearms Act.

Halima Haliru Umar, from Unguwan Boka in Faskari LGA of Katsina State, was convicted for her role in facilitating the supply of ammunition used by criminal elements terrorising parts of Plateau State.

……Suspects arrested as Police hunt gang Leader ‘ODINAKA’

Police in Benue State have confirmed six people dead and one hospitalized after armed men stormed a residence on Aliade Street, High Level, Makurdi, in the early hours of Monday.

The PPRO DSP Udeme Edet told Crime Reporters that at about 0230hrs, a landlord made a distress call reporting that the gunmen dragged several young men out of their rooms and opened fire before fleeing the scene.

Detectives who arrived at the scene said preliminary investigations point to a cult-related killing carried out by a gang allegedly led by one “Odinaka,” a suspect police describe as notorious for similar attacks in the area.

Eleven suspects have so far been arrested in connection with the incident, while security operatives continue a manhunt for Odinaka and other fleeing gang members.

One of the victims is currently receiving treatment at a medical facility. The police said a full press statement with further details will be released soon as investigations continue.

The attack is the latest in a string of cult violence plaguing parts of in Benue state raising fresh concerns over safety in residential neighborhoods.

At least 10 people were killed and several others injured when suspected bandits ambushed a convoy along the Gusau–Magami–Dansadau Road in Zamfara State on Monday.

An unspecified number of persons were also abducted during the attack.

Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred between 4pm and 5pm as vigilante operatives were escorting residents home in a convoy. The attackers suddenly opened fire on the vehicles.

Among those killed were five traders, three local hunters, and a member of the Zamfara Community Protection Guards (CPG).

The injured victims were rushed to Magami General Hospital for immediate treatment. They were scheduled to be referred to Gusau for further care, but as of the time of this report, they remained at the Magami facility due to the lack of a security escort.