A Chief Magistrate Court in Yola, Adamawa State, has sentenced three youths identified as members of a criminal group locally known as Shila boys to 10 years in prison each for criminal conspiracy and extortion.
The convicts are Sanusi Umar, 19; Mohammed Magaji, 17; and Yakubu Ibrahim, 20, all residents of Zango Ward in Yola North Local Government Area.
Chief Magistrate Court II, presided over by Dorcas Mavah, handed down the sentences on Thursday after the three defendants pleaded guilty to the charges.
The court sentenced each convict to three years in prison without the option of a fine for criminal conspiracy and an additional seven years without the option of a fine for extortion.
The case followed their arrest by operatives of the Doubeli Police Station in Jimeta.
According to the prosecution, the youths armed themselves with cutlasses and attacked Bello Yusuf of Anguwan Tana in Yola North Local Government Area, dispossessing him of a Smart P-30 mobile phone valued at N42,000.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
Police prosecutor, Inspector Kabiru Abubakar, told the court during their arraignment on Thursday that the defendants were arrested after Yusuf reported the incident to the police.
They were subsequently charged with criminal conspiracy and extortion.
The three defendants pleaded guilty after the contents of the First Information Report were interpreted to them, prompting the prosecutor to apply for a summary trial.
Following their pleas, the court convicted and sentenced each of them to a total of 10 years’ imprisonment without the option of a fine.
Their conviction comes amid several cases involving suspected members of the Shila group that have been brought before courts in Adamawa State in recent weeks.
