2015 Maiduguri attacks: Court sentences Boko Haram member to death by hanging

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a Boko Haram member, Alkali Yarima, well known as La’ari, to death by hanging for participating in the attacks on Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, in 2015.

Justice James Omotosho, in a judgement delivered on Friday, June 26, 2026, also sentenced Yarima to life imprisonment in count six of the charge, bordering on receiving a training on arms and weapon handling in preparation to commit acts of terrorism.

While the convict was committed to a 35-year imprisonment in count one, Justice Omotosho sentenced him to a 30-year jail term in count five.

The judge, thereafter, handed down a 10-year imprisonment for Yarima in each of counts two, three, and four of the charge.

The federal government had, in the charge marked: FHC/KNJ/CR/971/2026, preferred a seven-count charge against Yarima.

The charge was dated May 26 and filed on May 29 by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN),

In count one which attracted 35 years’ jail term, Yarima (aka La’ari), with Chest Number: 1636 of Lawanti Area of Mafa Local Government Area in Borno was alleged to have, sometime between 2009 to 2015 at the time of his arrest, professed membership and continued to belong to Boko Haram group, a proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria.

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He was accused of accepting “Da’awah” from the founder of Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf .

The offence is punishable under Section 16 (1) of the Terrorism (Prevention Amendment) Act, 2013.

In count six, where he bagged a life imprisonment, the convict was alleged to have “engaged in conducts in preparation to commit acts of terrorist acts when you travelled to Arab country for training on arms and weapon handling.”

The offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 21 of the Terrorism (Prevention Amendment) Act, 2013.

The federal government, in count seven which attracted a death penalty, accused the terrorist of committing acts of terrorism when he participated in the attacks on Maiduguri.

The offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 2 (1) of the Terrorism (Prevention Amendment) Act, 2013.