LAGOS
A Federal High Court in the Nigerian capital Abuja on Thursday ruled that a man accused of celebrating and seeking foreign support for Boko Haram insurgents must face terrorism trial.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole dismissed a no-case submission by Muktar Ibrahim, aka Abu Sabaya, and said he must face trial under the country's Terrorism Prevention Act 2011.
He ordered Abu Sabaya remanded in custody pending determination of the case.
The prosecution described the defendant as "an online personality, who was celebrating the bombing campaigns of the Boko Haram sect on a jihadist website while also soliciting funds from international terrorist groups to fund the activities of the sect in Nigeria."
A top graduate of mechanical engineering from the Ahmadu Bello University, the largest in Nigeria and second largest in Africa, Ibrahim is accused of registering his email on a jihadist website to post messages on the activities of Boko Haram.
In an affidavit before the court, the prosecution said that Ibrahim had in February 2012 posted a message seeking help for "the mujahahideen in Nigeria."
He is also accused of posting on June 16, 2011, a message that celebrated Boko Haram attacks.
This is the first time this case is coming to the public attention, according to Anadolu Agency correspondent.
"The case appears to be among the few Boko Haram litigations deliberately taken off the media radar," he said.
A number of Boko Haram suspects are being tried in various Nigerian courts. Some of them have already been sentenced.
A hitherto peaceful organization that had preached against government corruption, Boko Haram suddenly turned violent in 2009 following the murder of its leader, Mohamed Yusuf, while in police custody.
In the years since, the group has been blamed for thousands of terrorist acts, including attacks on churches and security posts across Nigeria's northern region.
Although it claims to want an Islamist government in the region, Nigerian Muslims – most of whom reject Boko Haram as un-Islamic – have also been targeted by the militant group.
By Rafiu Ajakaye
englishnews@aa.com.tr
