Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has sentenced a Boko Haram victim, Ali Kolo, to nine years’ imprisonment but ordered his immediate release after ruling that he had already spent over a decade in detention.

Kolo, who was previously shot in the leg by insurgents in Borno State while attempting to report their activities to the military, was convicted for failing to disclose information about the terrorist group to security agencies.

He was arraigned on four counts by the Federal Government but pleaded guilty to one charge of concealing information on terrorist activities under the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2013.

Prosecution counsel, David Kaswe, told the court that Kolo failed to report insurgent activities in 2017, presenting his extra-judicial statement and investigation report as evidence. He urged the court to impose a 10-year sentence.

However, Kolo explained that he was attacked and hospitalised while trying to report the insurgents, making it impossible for him to fulfil the obligation. His counsel appealed for leniency, citing circumstances beyond his control.]

In his judgment, Justice Lifu acknowledged that while Kolo failed to report the information, the omission was influenced by factors outside his control. He sentenced him to nine years’ imprisonment but ruled that the sentence should take effect from 2017.

Noting that the defendant had already spent more than 10 years in custody, the judge ordered his immediate release, stating that he had “suffered enough” and warning that further detention would amount to double jeopardy.

The court clarified that Kolo was not convicted for terrorism or membership of a terrorist group, but solely for failure to disclose information.

In a related ruling, the court sentenced a bricklayer, Ibrahim Buba, also known as Baba Gana, to 10 years’ imprisonment for failing to report known Boko Haram members.

Buba admitted knowing two insurgents but failed to inform authorities. He told the court he fled from Borno to Adamawa and later relocated to Anambra, where he was arrested in 2023.

Despite pleading for leniency, the court sentenced him to 10 years in prison, with the term to run from March 24, 2023, the date of his arrest.