THE Federal High Court in Abuja has permitted the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) to detain an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) A. A. Babangida and 19 others for 30 days.
It is over their alleged involvement in banditry, kidnapping and terrorism.
Also detained are Usman Idris, Abu Safiyanu, Alhassan Idris, Sahada Ishaka, Abubakar Bello, Yahaya Abdullahi, Haruna Salisu and Mohammed Muazu.
Others are Nura Idris, Alhaji Manu Mohammed, Umar Lamu, Abubakar Mandara, Suleiman Mohammed, Alhaji Madayi, Alhaji Amodu Oghewe and Uzoma Aghaoyibo.
Justice Peter Lifu ruled on an ex-parte motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1146/2024 by the DIA and moved by its lawyer S.A Aminu.
The court ordered DIA to keep Babangida and others for 30 days to enable operatives to conclude ongoing investigations.
DIA said the ASP was arrested in June and had since been in its custody.
It accused the policeman of helping Boko Haram insurgents, bandits and ISWAP members to carry out terrorist activities in parts of the country.
Aminu had, while arguing the ex-parte motion, sought to detain the suspects for 90 days.
The lawyer claimed that the involvement of the suspects in terrorist activities was so complex.
Aminu said the suspect’s bomb experts have just been apprehended based on information provided by the detainees.
The lawyer added that the DIA plans to thoroughly investigate the activities of Babangida and others before handing them over to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) for prosecution.
In a 21-paragraph supporting affidavit, the DIA detailed how it got information that led to the arrest of the suspects in various locations and at different times.
Justice Lifu refused to grant the 90-day detention request because the suspects had been in custody for three months.
The judge added that the Constitution presumes accused persons innocent until the contrary is established. He ordered the DIA to do all within its powers, within the ambit of the law, to complete its investigation on time.
The Federal Government is prosecuting no fewer than 300 suspects for their alleged involvement in terrorism and other heinous crimes against the Nigerian state.
The resumption of their trial in five courts by special judges was announced on July 25 by the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC).
Spokesman of the NCTC, Abu Michael, said the trial at the Federal High Court, in line with the International Criminal Justice (ICJ), involved a collaboration with the Complex Casework Group (CCG) of the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation under the coordination of the NCTC in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
