Nigerian Al-Qaeda Suspect Pleads Not Guilty in U.S. Court

Nigerian citizen, Lawal Babafemi, who was extradited to the United States has pleaded not guilty in a U.S. Federal Court in Brooklyn to helping an Al-Qaeda affiliate recruit English-speaking people in Nigeria.

U.S. District Judge, John Gleeson yesterday ordered that Babafemi be held without bail.

Mr. Babafemi, also known as “Ayatollah Mustapha,” was charged with four counts, including conspiracy to provide support to a foreign terrorist organization in violation of title 18 of the United States code.

He faces life in prison if convicted on firearms charges and up to 15 years in prison on the charges of material support.

According to Channels TV, the United States of America had on the 26 of July 2013 made a formal request to Nigeria seeking the extradition of Mr Lawal Babafemi also known as Abdullahi Ayatollah Mustapha to answer charges of providing support to terrorist organizations against the United States of America.

A Federal High Court in Abuja sometime in August, granted the request of the Federal Government seeking to extradite Abdullahi to the United States