Court sentences female arms courier to death over terrorism charges in Katsina

A Federal High Court sitting in Katsina State has sentenced a female arms courier, Hauwa’u Mukhtar, to death by hanging after finding her guilty of conspiracy to commit, aid and abet terrorism.

The conviction followed a successful prosecution by the Department of State Services (DSS), marking what security sources described as the agency’s second death sentence secured within June 2026.

According to a post shared on X by security analyst Zagazola Makama, Mukhtar was arrested on September 16, 2023, by DSS operatives at Jibia Motor Park in Katsina State while allegedly attempting to transport 438 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition to Ado, identified as a notorious bandit kingpin operating within the Dunburum Forest axis of Zamfara State.

Security sources said she was subsequently arraigned before High Court No. 3 in Katsina State, presided over by Justice A. B. Bawale, on a two-count charge bordering on terrorism-related offences.

Delivering judgment, the court held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, relying on witness testimonies, documentary exhibits and other materials tendered during the trial.

The judge consequently found Mukhtar guilty on both counts and sentenced her to death by hanging in line with the provisions of the Penal Code Law of Katsina State, 2021.

The ruling comes amid a series of recent terrorism-related convictions secured by the DSS across different courts in the country.

On June 3, a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced four individuals to death by hanging over their alleged involvement in the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, which claimed more than 40 lives.

Reacting to the judgment, a security source described the conviction as a significant milestone for the DSS, noting that it demonstrated the agency’s capacity not only to intercept suspects but also to ensure successful prosecution.

“The successful prosecution is a significant milestone for the DSS, demonstrating its capacity to not only intercept criminal actors but to follow through with decisive legal action that results in landmark convictions,” the source said.

In a related development, a Federal High Court in Abuja recently sentenced another suspect, Halima Haliru Umar, to 20 years imprisonment for unlawful possession of 302 rounds of AK-47 ammunition and for attempting to support terrorist activities.

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