Habeeb was convicted on Friday by Justice Peter Lifu on a one-count charge of aiding and abetting terrorism filed by the Federal Government.

The convict, who is also a fuel dealer in Maiduguri, admitted during trial that petrol was sold to the terrorists but claimed his station attendants may have been responsible.

During proceedings, Habeeb reportedly knelt in the dock for nearly an hour, pleading for leniency and saying he had been denied contact with his family for over a decade.

However, government counsel, David Kaswe, opposed the plea, arguing that supplying fuel enabled terrorist operations that led to deaths and displacement of civilians, and called for a 20-year sentence instead.

He further maintained that Boko Haram attacks would have been limited without access to fuel used for mobility during assaults.

Delivering judgment, Justice Lifu stated that there was no evidence linking Habeeb to membership of Boko Haram or weapons training, noting that the case was strictly based on fuel supply to the group.

The court also acknowledged that the prosecution did not dispute the defendant’s claim of spending over 10 years in custody.

He was subsequently sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, with the term backdated to his arrest, and ordered to be released for rehabilitation after the completion of the legal process.