Abuja: A Federal High Court on Thursday condemned Boko Haram terrorist Auwalu Samaila to death by hanging after he confessed to ferrying female suicide bombers to target locations, participating in massacres across Adamawa and Borno states, and losing his left leg in a battle against Nigerian troops — a trail of terror spanning five years and dozens of communities.
Justice James Omotosho delivered the judgment. He convicted and sentenced Samaila to death after Samaila pleaded guilty to six counts brought by the Federal Government.
“It is when somebody is remorseful and seeks forgiveness with God that he can have mercy from him.
“The convict before me is not remorseful despite a lot of atrocities and lives that have gone from his hand.
“May God have mercy on his soul,” the judge said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government, in the charge marked FHC/KNJ/CR/122/2026, sued Samaila as the sole defendant for terrorism-related offences.
In count one, Samaila, who hails from Gulak Village, Madagali Local Government Area (LGA) of Adamawa, was alleged to have, between 2012 and 2017, in Sabongari Kyambula Village, Gulak LGA of the confessed to being a member of Boko Haram, a proscribed terrorist organisation.
Counts two and three alleged that Samaila agreed to receive terrorist training from Sadiqu Adamu (Kare-kare), a Boko Haram member. He was also trained in AK47 weapon handling, allegedly in preparation to commit terrorism under Yabana at the Izza Boko Haram Camp.
Samaila, in count four, was accused of participating in an attack at Damboa, Borno, between 2012 and 2017, where civilians and military personnel were killed.
He was also alleged to have participated in the attack at Gombi in Adamawa, where scores of the civilian populace were killed.
The convict was equally accused of taking part in the terror attack at Hong in Adamawa, “where the civilian populace was killed.”
The prosecution said this violates and is punishable under Section 1(2) of the Terrorism (Prevention Amendment) Act, 2013.
Samaila pleaded guilty.
The prosecution, led by Jemila Ade, Deputy Director, Public Prosecutions in the Ministry of Justice, tendered Samaila’s confessional statement, and it was admitted in evidence and marked as an exhibit.
In his confessional statement, Samaila stated that he was used to conveying female suicide bombers to target locations.
According to him, the first suicide bomber I encountered was Halima.
“I took her to Muna Garage in Maiduguri,” he said.
He also stated that he participated in attacks in Mubi, Chibok, Damaturu, Michika, and Gulak, among others.
Samaila said it was the Konduga operation where the group fought with the military, which led to the amputation of his left leg.
According to him, I was treated by the medical team in Farisu when I got this injury, which led to the cutting of my leg.
The judge sentenced Samaila to death by hanging for counts four, five, and six.
The judge also committed the convict to 25 years’ jail term in each of counts one and two, while in count three, he bagged 30 years imprisonment.
Justice Omotosho, in separate judgments on Thursday, also convicted and sentenced two Boko Haram terrorists to life imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to the terrorism offences.
The two convicts are Shura Abdullahi and Abdulrahman Ari.
The judge also committed Aisami Kadi, Umaru Usman, and Abdulrahman Hassan, who pleaded guilty to the charges, to different jail terms ranging from 20 to 21 years on the counts preferred against them by the prosecution.
