A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) permission to detain Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) A.A. Babangida and 19 others for 30 days. They are being held over allegations of involvement in banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism.
The suspects, who were arrested between June and July 2024 are accused of aiding bandits, Boko Haram, and ISWAP terror groups in carrying out terrorist activities across the country.
The federal court approved the 30-day detention request for the DIA to conclude its investigation. The agency had initially sought a 90-day detention period, but it was denied as the suspects had already spent three months in custody. If found guilty, the suspects would be prosecuted.
This case is part of a broader crackdown on terrorism, with the Nigerian government currently prosecuting more than 300 suspects for similar crimes, according to The Nation, a media outlet owned by President Bola Tinubu. These trials are being conducted at the Federal High Court in collaboration with the National Counter-Terrorism Centre.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
