Prominent Pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the Chief Magistrate Court 1 Dutse Abuja and the Nigeria Police Force for allegedly compromising the prosecution of two suppliers of weapons to terrorists to a mere 250-days conviction for such a heinous crime of assisting terrorists.
HURIWA has asked the Federal Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Prince Lateef Fagbemi(SAN) or the Department of State Services(DSS) to take over the matter by immediately appealing to overturn the compromised judgment and to secure appropriate severe sentences for the duo caught by the police for supplying military grade sophisticated weapons to terrorists.
HURIWA critised the FCT Police Command for shamelessly announcing that it secured the conviction of two wanted suspects, Yau Sule and Mariya Sule, following intelligence-led operations that led to their arrest on the 2nd of June, 2026 in connection with unlawful possession and suspected supply of ammunition to kidnappers and other criminal elements operating within the North Central region and the Federal Capital Territory. “Are the top officers of the Nigeria Police Force not ashamed to even announce such a charade which clearly represents a disappointing compromise and a clear sabotage of the counterterrorism law of Nigeria?
Specifically, the FCT command of the police through the spokesperson Miss Josephine Adeh stated that Yau Sule, was arrested on 2nd June 2026 while in transit along the Abuja-Kaduna Highway. During the operation, Police operatives recovered 81 rounds of 7.62mm live AK-47 ammunition and 100 rounds of 7.62mm belted ammunition for a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG). Further investigations led to the arrest of his sister, Mariya Sule, who was also found to be involved in the ammunition supply network.
The suspects were subsequently arraigned before the Chief Magistrate Court 1, Dutse – Alhaji, FCT, with charge number CR/DUT/1132/2026, where they were convicted for unlawful possession of live ammunition under the Firearms Act. In separate warrants dated 24th August 2026, the Court sentenced Yau Sule and Mariya Sule to 250 days’ imprisonment each without an option of fine, with the sentences to be served at the Suleja Correctional Centre.
HURIWA in a media statement by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko dismissed the punishment as a mere slap on the wrist for such a very serious terrorism related crime of supplying weapons to terrorists just as HURIWA wondered why the Attorney-General of the Federation or the DSS did not take over the matter and prosecute the accused persons under the counterterrorism law of Nigeria so the duo can get a very lengthy sentencing that their crime should get instead of allowing the police to go about mishandling the matter which resulted in the very unacceptable short sentences that lack deterrent quality.
“The sentence to just 250-days of custodial sentencing, is just like letting these collaborators with terrorists to go home after few days of detention and then resume their daredevil transactions with terrorists. This clear case of injustice against the Nigerian people who are at the receiving end of terrorists attacks must be corrected by the AGF or the DSS so these convicts with lighter sentences are handed down a very lengthy custodial sentences.”
