A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Hussaini Ismaila, a senior figure in the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), to 20 years in prison for his role in a series of terrorist attacks across Kano State.
Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the judgment on Tuesday, convicting Ismaila — also known as Mai Tangaran — after he pleaded guilty to four terrorism charges filed by the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to the prosecution, Ismaila coordinated multiple bomb and gun attacks in 2012, targeting key police formations including the Kano Police Headquarters in Bompai, the Mobile Police Base on Kabuga Road, the Pharm Centre Police Station, and the Angwa Uku Police Station. Several people were injured in the coordinated strikes.
Ismaila was arrested on 31 August 2017 in Tsamiyya Babba village, Gezewa Local Government Area of Kano State, and later arraigned under the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013.
His trial faced several delays due to appeals and a trial-within-a-trial initiated to determine whether his confessional statements were made voluntarily. The DSS presented five witnesses, including two operatives and eyewitnesses from some of the attack locations.
Although Ismaila initially pleaded not guilty, he changed his plea after the fifth prosecution witness testified. His lawyer from the Legal Aid Council, P. B. Onijah, urged the court to consider his remorse and cooperation.
Justice Nwite found him guilty on all counts, imposing a 15-year sentence for count one and 20 years each for counts two, three, and four. The terms will run concurrently, beginning from the date of his arrest in 2017.
The court also ordered the Correctional Service to keep Ismaila in any designated facility and mandated that he undergo rehabilitation and deradicalization before rejoining society after completing his term.
