In a significant ruling, the Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted and sentenced a former senatorial candidate to 10 years imprisonment for aiding terrorism.
Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Peter Lifu found Babagana Habeeb guilty on a one-count charge brought by the federal government, which centred on providing material support to insurgents through the supply of petroleum products.
Habeeb, a Maiduguri-based fuel dealer, had pleaded guilty during his arraignment, admitting to fuel sales in the North-East. However, he argued that some of the transactions may have been carried out by his station attendants without his direct involvement.
During the trial, he appealed for leniency, telling the court he has two wives and six children and had spent over a decade in detention without contact with his family.
Prosecuting counsel, David Kaswe, opposed the plea, urging the court to impose a 20-year sentence. He argued that the fuel supplies significantly aided insurgents’ operations, enabling mobility during attacks and facilitating escape into remote areas, which led to deaths and displacement.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu stated that there was no evidence linking Habeeb to active membership or training within any terrorist group. He noted that the only offence proven was the sale of fuel to insurgents and that the prosecution did not challenge the claim of prolonged detention.
The court subsequently sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment, ruling that the term should run from the date of his arrest.
Justice Lifu also ordered that Habeeb be released immediately after completing the sentence, taking into account time already spent in custody, to allow for his rehabilitation.
