Court grants DIA’s request to detain police officer over terrorism allegations 

A federal high court in Abuja has granted permission to the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) to detain A. A. Babangida, an assistant superintendent of police (ASP), over his alleged involvement in terrorism activities.

Peter Lifu, the presiding judge, gave the order on Wednesday while delivering a ruling in an ex-parte application marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1146/2024, brought by the DIA.

Lifu ordered that Babangida be detained alongside 19 other suspects for 30 days to enable the agency to carry out a thorough investigation into their alleged involvement in banditry, kidnapping, and other terrorism-related activities.

Those to be detained alongside Babangida are Usman Idris, Abu Safiyanu, Alhassan Idris, Sahada Ishaka, Abubakar Ibrahim Sani Bello, Yahaya Abdullahi, Haruna Salisu, and Mohammed Muazu.

Others are Nura Idris, Manu Mohammed, Umar Lamu, Abubakar Mandara, Suleiman Mohammed, Alhaji Madayi, Amodu Oghewe, and Uzoma Aghaoyibo.

Babangida was arrested in June for allegedly helping the Boko Haram fighters, bandits, and ISWAP terrorists to carry out terrorism activities in some parts of the country.

Arguing the ex parte application in court, S.A. Aminu, DIA’s counsel, said the agency “intends to carry out a critical investigation into the unlawful activities of Babangida and others before handing them over to the attorney-general of the federation for prosecution”.

Aminu told the court that the bomb experts for the gang had just been apprehended based on information obtained from the detainees.

The lawyer prayed the court to grant the application seeking to detain the suspects for 90 days.

However, after going through the documentary exhibits placed before the court, the judge refused to grant the 90 days requested on the grounds that the suspects had been in custody for three months.

He reminded the DIA that the defendants are to enjoy the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

Lifu also ordered the agency to do everything within its powers and the ambit of the law to complete its investigation into the allegations against the suspects so as not to run foul of the law.