By Our Correspondent

National News – The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday sentenced a former senatorial candidate in Borno State, Babagana Habeeb, to 10 years in prison for aiding terrorism by selling petroleum products to insurgents operating in the North-East.

The judgment, delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, followed Habeeb’s guilty plea to a one-count charge filed by the Federal Government.

The defendant admitted that fuel from his Maiduguri-based filling station was supplied to members of the Boko Haram insurgent group.

He argued that the transactions may have been carried out by station attendants without his knowledge, but the court held that his admission was sufficient to establish guilt.

During proceedings, Habeeb pleaded for leniency, stating that he had two wives and six children and had spent over 10 years in detention.

He appealed for mercy, noting his prolonged incarceration without contact with his family.

However, counsel for the Federal Government, David Kaswe, opposed the plea, arguing that the fuel supplied to insurgents enabled attacks that led to deaths and community displacement.

Justice Lifu noted that there was no evidence proving Habeeb was a member of Boko Haram or had undergone weapons training, but held that the admission of fuel sales sustained the charge.

The court ordered that the sentence be calculated from the date of arrest and directed the convict’s immediate release upon signing the necessary release warrant to enable rehabilitation.