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Nigeria is determined to stamp out terrorism and related activities from the country, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice said on Monday, as mass trials of suspected terrorists continued in Abuja.
Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, spoke to newsmen shortly after leading a team of lawyers to the High Court in the ongoing mass trial of suspected terrorists.
“We will fight with every inch of our blood to ensure that we make Nigeria a safe haven for everybody,” Fagbemi said.
“The message is clear, direct and straightforward. It is that the present administration is not taking the issue of terrorism with levity. And that is why you see the ongoing trials.”
Fagbemi said the current phase marks the fourth mass trial undertaken since the inception of the present administration.
“Since the inception of this administration, this is about the fourth phase that we are undertaking,” he said.
“So the message is that, let everybody know that terrorism in whatever form, shape, will not be tolerated; will not be condoned,” the minister added.
On the total number of suspects on trial in the current phase, Fagbemi said more than 600 terror suspects would be prosecuted.
“Well, for this phase; the ones we have today, we have about 490. Tomorrow we’ll have 84,” he said.
“But this 84 does not include the 102 that was brought forward from the last phase. So in total, you have almost about 600 plus to contend with for this phase.”
Fagbemi said he had been assured by the judges that they would “do their utmost part to ensure that they clear this number for this phase.”
He said about 10 judges were devoted exclusively to terrorism cases.
“We have about 10 judges devoted to this case alone and they are not doing any other cases apart from the terrorism cases,” he said.
“I mean, total devotion to trial of terrorism cases. I am optimistic and I’ve gotten assurances from them (judges) that they will do no other than this one and they are speeding up the process without compromising the necessary safeguards and oversight that they are meant to do.”
Fagbemi said there had been convictions so far from proceedings he had appeared in, adding that a record would be compiled at the end of the trial.
He said the trial, which began Monday, would last until Thursday.
“By the end of Thursday, we are optimistic that it would have gone very, very fine,” he concluded.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, at least 500 suspected terrorists were tried between April 7 and April 10 at the High Court in Abuja as part of an intensified effort to tackle insecurity.
