By Joyce Ekeh
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has condemned the Chief Magistrate Court 1, Dutse, Abuja, and the Nigeria Police Force over the 250-day jail terms imposed on two persons convicted of unlawful possession of live ammunition.
HURIWA described the sentence handed down to Yau Sule and Mariya Sule as inadequate, alleging that the duo were involved in supplying military-grade weapons to terrorists.
The group urged the 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 and appeal the judgment, seeking what it described as appropriate and stiffer sentences.
HURIWA also criticised the FCT Police Command for announcing the conviction, questioning why the suspects were not prosecuted under Nigeria’s counter-terrorism law if evidence linked them to the supply of weapons to terrorists.
The FCT Police Command, through its spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, had stated that Yau Sule was arrested on June 2, 2026, while in transit along the Abuja-Kaduna Highway.
During the operation, police operatives reportedly 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.
The police said 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, in charge number CR/DUT/1132/2026, and convicted for unlawful possession of live ammunition under the Firearms Act.
In separate warrants dated August 24, 2026, the court sentenced each of them to 250 days’ imprisonment without an option of fine. They are to serve their sentences at the Suleja Correctional Centre.
Reacting, HURIWA National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, described the punishment as a “mere slap on the wrist” for what the group characterised as a serious terrorism-related crime.
HURIWA questioned why the Attorney-General of the Federation or the DSS did not take over the matter and prosecute the suspects under the counter-terrorism law, arguing that the alleged offence warranted a longer custodial sentence.
The group said the handling of the case by the police had resulted in what it described as an “unacceptable short sentence” lacking deterrent value.
Onwubiko said: “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.”
HURIWA further accused the police and court process of compromising the prosecution of the matter and urged the relevant authorities to intervene by appealing the judgment and pursuing what it considers an appropriate punishment for the convicted persons.
