A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Abubakar Goni, a self-confessed member of Boko Haram, to 30 years in prison for belonging to the proscribed terrorist group.
Justice Binta Nyako handed down the sentence on Friday after Goni admitted being a member of the group, which he said he joined more than 15 years ago.
However, the court ordered that the sentence should run from 2016, when operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested him and placed him in detention.
Goni, from Daira village in Gubi Local Government Area of Yobe State, faced a five-count charge filed by the Federal Government. The charges included membership of Boko Haram, training in the use of AK-47 rifles, attacks on civilians and looting food to feed members of the group.
He was also accused of participating in attacks on communities in Niger Republic. However, he admitted only to membership of Boko Haram and denied the other allegations.
Justice Nyako sentenced him under Section 16(1) of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2013.
Goni’s lawyer, Dauda Hassan, had urged the court to show leniency, citing his client’s voluntary admission and status as a first-time offender.
The judge also directed the Federal Ministry of Interior to determine the correctional facility where Goni would serve his sentence.
