A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a man identified as a victim of Boko Haram to nine years in prison after spending over a decade in detention.
Justice Peter Odo Lifu ruled that Ali Kolo was guilty of failing to report the activities of the terrorist group, despite acknowledging that his inability to do so was due to circumstances beyond his control.
Kolo, who sustained a gunshot injury to his leg during an attack in Borno State, told the court he was on his way to alert authorities when he was shot. He later pleaded guilty to withholding information.
Although the court handed down a nine-year sentence, Justice Lifu ordered his immediate release, noting that he had already spent more than 10 years in detention — a situation he described as unjust to prolong.
Meanwhile, in a separate ruling, another defendant, Ibrahim Buba, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for also failing to report information about Boko Haram.
The court held that despite his claims of fleeing for safety, he neglected his duty to inform security agencies.
The rulings highlight ongoing legal consequences tied to non-disclosure of terrorist activities under Nigeria’s anti-terrorism laws.