The lower court judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba, who pronounced the convicts guilty, had sentenced the three convicts to 25 years imprisonment each. The convicts are Ali Mohammed, Adamu Karumi and Ibrahim Usman. They had been arraigned in November 2013 along with 14 others before Justice Buba, who found them guilty in September 2014 and sentenced them to a prison term of 25 years each. But being displeased with their conviction and imprisonment, the convicts subsequently approached the Court of Appeal seeking to overturn the judgment. But the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, which charged them to court and secured their convictions, said in a statement by its Public Relations Officers, Mrs. Bola Akingbade, that their appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal for lacking in merit. According to the ministry, the convicts had contended that they were charged and convicted under an inapplicable law. They had also contended that the 25 years imprisonment imposed on them was excessive and urged the higher court to reverse their conviction. But the appellate court refused their prayers. Mohammed, Karumi and Usman were arraigned on eight counts in November 2013 before Justice Buba along with 14 other suspected Boko Haram members. Those charged with them were Bala Haruna, Idris Ali, Mohammed Murtala and Kadiri Mohammed and Mustapha Daura. Others were Abba Duguri, Sanni Adamu, Danjuma Yahaya and Musa Audu and Mati Daura, Farouk Haruna, Abdullahi Azeez, Ibrahim Bukar and Zula Diani. But in the course of trial, the then Lagos State, Attorney-General, Mr. Ade Ipaye, had by nolle prosequi, discontinued criminal charges against 13 of the suspects, leaving only Mohammed, Karumi, Usman and Haruna.]]>