NIGERIA · JUSTICE
Key Facts
- —The country Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country, a federal republic of 36 states with their own High Courts.
- —What happened On Thursday 22 October 2026, a Sokoto State High Court sentenced three militia members to hang for armed robbery and killing.
- —The convicts Gaji Hassan, Abdullahi Goni Gudusu and Modu Bukar belong to the Civilian Joint Task Force, a volunteer force.
- —The victim Babangida Nasiru was robbed and killed on 19 September 2024 in Kagara village, Goronyo district.
- —The money The court heard the men took N260,000 (about US$196) from Nasiru and held him, and he was later found dead with gunshot wounds.
- —Next step The judge told the men they have 90 days to appeal to the Court of Appeal.
- —Still open Whether the three will appeal, and whether any governor would sign a death warrant.
A Nigeria court has sentenced three members of a civilian militia to death by hanging for armed robbery and murder. The High Court of Sokoto State, in the far north-west, handed down the ruling on Thursday 22 October 2026.
The case matters to US readers because Nigeria is a main Washington security partner in West Africa. The volunteer force the three belonged to works alongside the army.
What the Sokoto Court Decided
Justice Kabiru Muhammad found Gaji Hassan, Abdullahi Goni Gudusu and Modu Bukar guilty of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and culpable homicide, reported as murder. The Nigeria court sentenced each to death by hanging, the mandatory punishment under the Sokoto State Penal Code Law of 2019.
The case is listed as SS/78C/2026, and the court’s public relations officer, Nakwanta Muhammad Garba, issued a statement on the ruling. The judge told the three men that they have 90 days to appeal to the Court of Appeal.
The Killing in Kagara Village
The court heard that the crime took place at about 4:30 p.m. on 19 September 2024 in Kagara, a village in Goronyo district. Armed with rifles, the three men stopped Babangida Nasiru, took N260,000 (about US$196) from him and held him.
A woman who was with Nasiru was also taken into the bush, according to the court’s account. Nasiru was later found dead with gunshot wounds to the chest and neck.
How the Judge Weighed the Evidence
Two prosecution witnesses gave evidence, and the judge called the surviving eyewitness credible and unshaken, enough on its own to prove guilt. The defendants said they had released Nasiru, but the court ruled that they failed to explain how he died.
The judge held that the men’s confessional statements were voluntary and admissible, and that their claims of torture were not corroborated. Each of the three was convicted on all three counts.
Who the Civilian Joint Task Force Are
The Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) is a volunteer force that works with Nigeria’s army and police, mainly against Boko Haram in the north-east. Members man checkpoints, gather information and join patrols in their home areas.
Court reports name Hassan, Gudusu and Bukar as CJTF members, and all three were tried together in one case. The charges were armed robbery and homicide, not any act linked to their duties.
Nigeria and the Death Penalty
Under the Sokoto State Penal Code Law of 2019, hanging is the mandatory punishment, so the judge had no choice after the verdict. A Nigeria court can impose it, but a hanging needs a governor’s signature on a death warrant.
In April 2023, the Nigerian Correctional Service’s spokesman said many governors shy away from signing death warrants. He called it a kind of moratorium and said the last execution took place in 2016 in Edo State.
What It Means for US Readers
Nigeria is a main Washington security partner in West Africa, and the volunteer forces that back its army are part of that fight. Rights groups and lawmakers who follow Nigeria therefore watch how courts treat armed volunteers accused of crimes against civilians.
The Nigeria court’s ruling can still be appealed, so it changes nothing yet for aid groups or companies working in the north-west. It does show a state court applying a mandatory death sentence to members of a force that works with the army.
What Is Not Known
It is not yet clear whether the three men will appeal. Reports do not say what happened to the woman who was with Nasiru.
It is also not known whether the Sokoto governor would sign a death warrant if the sentence is upheld. Reports do not say which CJTF unit the men served in.
More: Nigeria news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was sentenced to death in Sokoto?
Gaji Hassan, Abdullahi Goni Gudusu and Modu Bukar, all Civilian Joint Task Force members, were sentenced on Thursday 22 October 2026. The Nigeria court in Sokoto convicted them of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and culpable homicide.
Will the three men be hanged soon?
Not soon, because the men have 90 days to appeal to the Court of Appeal. In April 2023 the Nigerian Correctional Service said many governors avoid signing death warrants, and it put the last execution in 2016.
What is the Civilian Joint Task Force?
It is a volunteer security force that works alongside Nigeria’s army and police, mainly against Boko Haram in the north-east. Members man checkpoints, gather information and join patrols in their home areas.
Does this case affect travel to northern Nigeria?
The ruling does not change security conditions, and US travel advisories for the north-west remain a separate matter. Nigeria also barred 46 Ebola contacts from flying this week, so check State Department advice before any trip.
Sources: Daily Trust, on the Sokoto State High Court ruling, 22 October 2026; Legit.ng Hausa, 22 October 2026; The Whistler, 22 October 2026; Gazette Nigeria, on the Nigerian Correctional Service statement on death warrants, 19 April 2023.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief