The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, sentenced a 37-year-old man, Zakaria Garba, to death by hanging over his involvement in the 2014, Nyanya Motor Park bomb explosions.
No fewer than 70 people were killed in the incident, while several others sustained various degrees of injuries.
Justice James Omotsoho, in a judgment delivered in the just-concluded Abuja mass trial of suspected terrorists, also handed down a life imprisonment for Garba in another count of the five-count charge.
Justice Omotosho convicted the defendant after he pleaded guilty to the five counts preferred against him by the Federal Government.
The judgement was delivered on Tuesday in the charge number: FHC/KNJ/CR/985/2026, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice.
The judge sentenced Garba to 35-years jail term each in counts one and two, a life imprisonment in count three, a death sentence in counts four and five.
“May God have mercy on you,” the judge said.
In count three which attracted a life imprisonment, Garba of Jambutu Park, Jimeta Local Government Area of Adamawa State, and others now at large, were alleged to have, sometime in 2014 while at the Nyanya Motor Park, FCT Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the court, committed the offence.
They were said to have knowingly conspired among themselves “to commit acts of terrorism by planning and coordinating the bombing of Nyanya Motor Park, Abuja through the use of explosives devices, which bombing resulted in the death of over 70 persons and injured several others.”
The offence is punishable under Section 17 of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013, and punishable under the same section of the Act.
In count four, which also attracted capital punishment, the terrorist, who stated in his confessional statement that he used to sell tea and bread, with others now at large, was said to have, sometime in 2014 while at the Nyanya Motor Park, FCT Abuja, committed the offence.
The conbict and his co-conspirators were said to have “knowingly and intentionally caused the detonation of explosive devices at the Nyanya Motor Park, with intent to cause death and serious bodily harm to members of the public, which act resulted in over 70 (Seventy) persons’ death and injuries to several others.”
The offence is punishable under Section 1(3) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013.
Also in count five, which attracted death penalty, the convict and others now at large were said to have, sometime in 2014 while at the Nyanya Motor Park, FCT Abuja, “participated in an act of terrorism which caused the death of over 70 (Seventy) persons by detonating explosives.”
According to the charge, you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(3) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013.
Justice Omotosho also handed down various prison terms to some other terrorists who pleaded guilty to the separate terrorism charges filed against them.
Ali Mohammed, in charge number: FHC/KNJ/CR/1020/2026, was committed to 25-years jail term in count one and 15-year imprisonment in count two.
Isa Saleh was sentenced to 20-years imprisonment in a one-count charge marked: FHC/KNJ/CR/973/2026.
Tujan Mohammed, in a charge marked: FHC/KNJ/CR/954/2026, also bagged 20-years jail term in the one count preferred against him by the Federal Government.
For Salisu Bala, the judge convicted and sentenced him to 20-years imprisonment in count two, but discharged and acquitted in counts one and three in the charge sheet marked: FHC/KNJ/CR/963/2026.
The trial, which was taking place at Kainji in Niger state, was moved to the the Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja, due to heightened security reasons.
The AGF, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who led the Federal Government’s team of lawyers for the prosecution, said that the government was determined to stamp out terrorism and its related activities from the country. (NAN)
