Boko Haram online supporter remanded, faces terrorism charge

    
An Abuja Federal High Court has ruled that a suspected ‘online’ terrorist, Muktar Ibrahim [aka Abu Sabaya], who supports the activities of the Boko Haram sect on the Internet, must answer charges of terrorism brought against him by the Federal Government.
The court presided over by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, while dismissing a no-case submission filed by the accused person, ordered that he should be remanded in prison pending the determination of his case.
The accused person was described by the prosecution 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 terrorists groups to fund the activities of the sect in Nigeria.
Ibrahim, a First Class graduate of Mechanical Engineering from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, was said to have registered his email address – banatsuad1@yahoo.com – on a jihadist website to post messages on the activities of Boko Haram in the country, contrary to the provisions of the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2011.
Some of the messages said to have been posted by Ibrahim on the website in February 2012 read “…is there any way we can help the mujahahiden in Nigeria  by AMEF projects? We are ready to release videos, statement and other material to support our brothers in Nigeria.”
The Federal Government said the post was a message preparatory to an act of terrorism, an offence contrary to section 1[1] [a] of the Terrorism [Prevention] Act, 2011 and punishable under section 33 [1] [a] of the same Act.
On or about June 16 2011, Ibrahim was said to have posted a message that read, “The wind of rage has been unleashed upon the battalion of the tawaghit and all their allies in Nigeria. In a successful attack, a severe attack and damage at the heart of the security apparatus of the Nigerian government, the Muwahhidin, with the assistance of Allah, were able to deal a great blow to the government and also to prove to their masters in the White House that our call is based upon actions rather than speech.
“Many Nigerians were very happy about the blast because they are frustrated by the tyranny of the tawaghit and their hijacking of the country’s resources for their selfish interests.
“This attack is indeed a success because prior to the attack the Nigerian Police Force on behalf of the Inspector General of Police Hafiz Ringim, boasted and he vowed that the days of the Muhahhidin in Nigeria are numbered.  Little did he know that the Muhahhidin are on their way to his palace in Abuja.”