A former Borno senatorial candidate gets 10 years for aiding Boko Haram by selling fuel used for deadly terror attacks.
The long arm of the law has finally caught up with Babagana Habeeb, a former senatorial candidate in Borno State. An Abuja Federal High Court has sentenced the 2015 Senator to 10 years in prison for selling petrol to the deadly Boko Haram terrorist group.
Habeeb, who ran a fuel station in Maiduguri, was convicted on a one-count charge of aiding and abetting terrorism. While the judgment marks the end of a long legal battle, it tells a dark story of how local logistics kept the insurgency running for years.
In a scene that gripped the courtroom on Friday, Habeeb pleaded guilty to the charges but tried to shift the blame. He told Justice Peter Lifu that while the fuel came from his station, his pump attendants might have been the ones who actually dealt with the terrorists.
Kneeling in the dock for nearly an hour, the politician begged for mercy. He spoke about his two wives and six children, lamenting that he had not seen his family since he was first picked up over a decade ago. It was a desperate plea from a man whose actions, the government argued, had caused untold misery.
However, the Federal Government’s lawyer, David Kaswe, wasn't having it. He stood firmly against any leniency, reminding the court of the horrific consequences of Habeeb's business. Kaswe argued that without fuel, the terrorists wouldn't have the mobility to launch motorcycle attacks on villages or hide so easily in the bush.
The lawyer pointed out that those fuel supplies led directly to deaths and the displacement of thousands of innocent Nigerians. He pushed for a 20-year sentence, insisting that providing logistics is just as dangerous as pulling the trigger.
When Justice Lifu delivered his ruling, he noted that while Habeeb wasn't a trained fighter or a Boko Haram member, his role in selling fuel was a clear act of aiding terror.
There was a final twist in the tale, however. The judge acknowledged that Habeeb had already spent over 10 years in detention awaiting trial—a claim the prosecution couldn't deny.
Consequently, the judge sentenced him to 10-years imprisonment but ordered that the time start from the day he was first arrested. Since he has already served that time behind bars, the court ordered his immediate release once his papers are signed.
Habeeb won't just walk away into the sunset, though. The judge ordered that he must undergo extensive rehabilitation before fully rejoining society, ensuring he is properly deradicalized after his long stint in custody.
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