Two Borno Farmers Sentenced to 11 Years for Withholding Boko Haram Intelligence

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced two farmers from Borno State to 11 calendar years in prison for failing to inform security forces about the presence and activities of Boko Haram insurgents in their local communities, according to a report by Daily Post Nigeria.

Justice Binta Fatima Nyako handed down the ruling against Manle Modu and Bulama Modu Awaye after both men entered guilty pleas to terrorism-related charges brought by the Department of State Services (DSS) on behalf of the Federal Government.

Court Dismisses Fear of Reprisals as Legal Defence

During the proceedings, both defendants argued that reporting the insurgents would have exposed them to lethal danger. However, Justice Nyako rejected the claim that fear of retaliation serves as an acceptable defence under Nigeria’s counterterrorism statutes.

Manle Modu, a resident of Burari village in the Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State, admitted in court that he violated Section 8(1)(b) of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2013. He confessed to intentionally withholding information from federal troops regarding the violent activities of insurgents embedded in his community. The court observed that formal notifications to authorities could have helped security services curb the group’s operations earlier.

Similarly, Bulama Modu Awaye, hailing from Maitari village in the Bama Local Government Area, was charged with insurgent membership, rearing livestock for fighters, and failing to notify the government of their operations. Awaye admitted that militants forced their way into his community in 2014 and that he kept quiet out of fear for his life.

Sentencing and Detention Adjustments

While convicting the men, Justice Nyako took their detention history and first-time offender status into consideration. Although each received an 11-year prison term, the judge ordered that their sentences be backdated to 2016, the year both men were initially arrested and placed into detention by security agencies.

The specific correctional facilities where the convicts will complete their terms are to be designated by the Federal Ministry of Interior.

Context of Ongoing Counterterrorism Prosecutions

The convictions are part of a broader judicial proceeding in which 48 suspected insurgents and associates have been slated for mass prosecution before Justice Nyako. The court’s decision underscores the rigid legal obligations imposed by federal law on residents in conflict zones, emphasizing that community members are legally bound to report insurgent presences regardless of personal safety concerns.

Source: Daily Post Nigeria

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