Meanwhile, after reviewing the evidence presented by the DSS, the court found the defendant guilty of the charges and imposed the death penalty by hanging.
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 terrorism and aiding and abetting terrorist activities.
The conviction followed a successful prosecution by the Department of State Services (DSS), which accused Mukhtar of facilitating the supply of ammunition to armed bandits operating in Nigeria’s North-West region.
According to court proceedings, Mukhtar was arrested by DSS operatives on September 16, 2023, at Jibia Motor Park in Katsina State while attempting to transport 438 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition to one Ado, a suspected bandit kingpin said to be operating from the notorious Dunburum Forest in neighbouring Zamfara State.
The prosecution told the court that investigations linked the ammunition consignment to terrorist and bandit networks responsible for violent attacks, kidnappings and other criminal activities across the region.
