Daniel Otera
A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Hussaini Ismaila, a commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), to 20 years in prison for orchestrating the deadly Kano Police Attacks in 2012.
Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the verdict on Tuesday, finding Ismaila, also known as ‘Mai Tangaran’, guilty on all four terrorism charges brought against him by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Court proceedings revealed that Ismaila coordinated synchronized assaults on the Police Headquarters in Bompai, a Mobile Police Base on Kabuga Road, the Pharm Centre Police Station, and Angwa Uku Police Station. These attacks, collectively referred to as the Kano Police Attacks, left numerous people with serious injuries.
Ismaila was arrested on August 31, 2017, at Tsamiyya Babba Village in Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State. His trial faced repeated delays due to appeals and a trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness of his extra-judicial statements.
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During the trial, the prosecution called five witnesses, including two DSS officials and two eyewitnesses to the Kano Police Attacks. Initially pleading not guilty, Ismaila later changed his plea to guilty following the testimony of the fifth prosecution witness. His defence lawyer, P. B. Onijah of the Legal Aid Council, pleaded for leniency, emphasizing his client’s remorse.
“My lord, the defendant is remorseful and has chosen not to waste the precious time of this court. He regrets his involvement in these activities,” Onijah told the court.
Justice Nwite sentenced Ismaila to 15 years for the first count and 20 years for the remaining three counts, with all sentences to run concurrently. This means he will serve a maximum of 20 years, calculated from his 2017 arrest date.
The court also directed the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service to confine Ismaila in a facility of their choice. Upon completion of his prison term, the convict is to undergo comprehensive rehabilitation and deradicalisation programs before reintegration into society, bringing a formal closure to the infamous Kano Police Attacks.