Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday sentenced three Boko Haram members to 25 years jail with hard labour.
The judgement was delivered on Tuesday by Justice Ibrahim Buba in camera.
Justice Buba had earlier granted an application that the trial should be conducted in secret following an application to that effect and because of the need to protect the witnesses in the case.
Specifically, the convicts were sentenced to 25 years each.
Initially, 17 suspects were charged to court but they were later reduced to four following the withdrawal of the case against some of the suspects, leaving only four.
The 17 suspects initially charged were arraigned before Justice Buba on 18 counts bordering on conspiracy to commit terrorism, illegal possession of firearms, and being members of a proscribed organisation.
They were Ali Mohammed, Adamu Karumi, Ibrahim Usman, Bala Haruna, Idris Ali, Mohammed Murtala and Kadiri Mohammed.
Others are Mustapha Daura, Abba Duguri, Sanni Adamu, Danjuma Yahaya and Musa Audu and Mati Daura, Farouk Haruna, Abdullahi Azeez, Ibrahim Bukar and Zula Diani.
But the case was discontinued against all the accused except the first four that went through trial – Ali Mohammed, Adamu Karumi, Ibrahim Usman and Bala Haruna.
Out of the four, Haruna was discharged by Justice Buba on the ground that the government failed to prove the allegations of terrorism funding against him.
Haruna, according to the case of the government, was said to have agreed to provide funds to facilitate the escape of the first convict, Ali Mohammed, from detention.
However, Justice Buba sentenced the first three accused persons – Ali Mohammed, Adamu Karumi and Ibrahim Usman – to 25 years imprisonment each for participating in acts of terrorism.
In the charge, the prosecution alleged that the accused persons committed the offences on March 21, at Plot 5, Road 69, Lekki Phase I Housing Estate, and No. 24, Oyegbeni St., Ijora-Oloye, Apapa-Iganmu, Lagos.
They were alleged to have been caught in possession of three packets of explosive construction pipes, 15 detonators, and 11 AK47 rifles with 30 rounds of live ammunitions.
The other items allegedly found in the possession of the accused include 200 rounds of 7.6 millimetres live ammunition, two suitcases containing explosives, and a water container filled with explosives.
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