Court Jails Ex Senatorial Candidate For Selling Petrol To Boko Haram

Court Jails Ex Senatorial Candidate 10 Years For Selling Petrol To Boko Haram
Judge says no evidence linking him to Boko Haram membership
Sentence to run from date of arrest after decade in detention

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a former senatorial candidate in Borno State, Babagana Habeeb, to 10 years imprisonment for selling petrol to Boko Haram.

Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Peter Lifu convicted Habeeb on a one count charge of aiding and abetting terrorism filed by the Federal Government.

EDITOR’S PICKS

EKO HOT BLOG reports that Habeeb, a fuel dealer based in Maiduguri, had admitted during his arraignment that petrol was sold to the insurgents, although he argued that the transactions may have been carried out by attendants at his filling station.

While pleading for leniency, the defendant knelt in the dock and told the court that his family had been unable to see or communicate with him for over 10 years.

Counsel to the Federal Government, David Kaswe, opposed the plea, arguing that the logistical support provided to the insurgents contributed to loss of lives and displacement of many victims.

Kaswe acknowledged that the defendant had spent more than a decade in detention but urged the court to impose a 20 year sentence, insisting that access to fuel enabled the terrorists to carry out attacks and escape.

In his ruling, Justice Lifu held that there was no evidence linking Habeeb to membership of Boko Haram or involvement in weapons training, noting that the charge before the court was limited to the sale of fuel.

The court also observed that the prosecution did not challenge the defendant’s claim of spending over 10 years in custody.

Justice Lifu subsequently sentenced Habeeb to 10 years imprisonment and ordered that the sentence take effect from the date of his arrest and detention.

Court Jails Ex Senatorial Candidate For Selling Petrol To Boko Haram

The court further directed that the defendant be released immediately upon completion of the sentence and processing of his release warrant to enable him undergo rehabilitation.