The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Babagana Habeeb, a former senatorial candidate from Borno State, to 10 years in prison for supporting terrorist activities.
The conviction was delivered on Friday, April 19, 2026, by Justice Peter Lifu, who found Habeeb guilty on a one-count charge of aiding and abetting terrorism brought by the Federal Government.
During the trial, the court heard that Habeeb, a fuel trader based in Maiduguri, admitted to selling petrol to members of Boko Haram, although he suggested that some of the transactions may have been handled by his staff.
In his plea for leniency, Habeeb told the court he had already spent more than a decade in detention and had been unable to stay in contact with his family throughout that period.
However, prosecuting counsel David Kaswe opposed the request, arguing that the fuel supplied to the insurgents facilitated deadly attacks that caused loss of lives and mass displacement. He urged the court to impose a harsher sentence, emphasizing that such logistical support is critical to terrorist operations.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu stated that while there was no evidence linking Habeeb directly to membership of Boko Haram or participation in combat, providing fuel to the group still amounted to aiding terrorism.
The judge also noted that the prosecution did not challenge the defendant’s claim of prolonged detention.
Habeeb was consequently sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, with the term set to run from the date of his arrest. The court further ordered that he be released immediately after serving the sentence and directed that he undergo rehabilitation.
