A Federal High Court in Katsina State has sentenced a woman, Hauwa’u Mukhtar, to death by hanging after convicting her of conspiracy, aiding and abetting terrorism.
The judgment followed a prosecution by the Department of State Services (DSS), marking the second terrorism-related death sentence secured by the agency this month.
According to information shared by security analyst Zagazola Makama on X, DSS operatives arrested Mukhtar on September 16, 2023, at Jibia Motor Park in Katsina State. She was reportedly caught while attempting to transport 438 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition to Ado, a suspected bandit leader operating in the Dunburum Forest area of Zamfara State.
The DSS subsequently charged her before High Court No. 3 in Katsina, presided over by Justice A. B. Bawale, on a two-count terrorism-related charge.
During the trial, the court reviewed witness testimonies, documentary evidence and submissions from both the prosecution and defence teams. Justice Bawale ruled that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Mukhtar was found guilty on both counts and sentenced to death by hanging under the provisions of the Katsina State Penal Code Law, 2021.
The conviction comes days after another terrorism-related ruling involving suspects arrested by the DSS. On June 3, a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced four men to death by hanging for their roles in the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, where more than 40 people were killed.
A security source described Mukhtar’s conviction as a significant outcome for the DSS, noting that it reflects the agency’s ability to secure convictions through the judicial process after making arrests.
In a separate case last month, a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced Halima Haliru Umar to 20 years imprisonment for unlawful possession of 302 rounds of AK-47 ammunition and attempting to provide support for terrorist activities.
