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About 5,000 people suspected of involvement in terrorism-related activities are currently being held in pre-trial detention facilities across Nigeria, creating a major backlog of cases, according to the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC).
The disclosure is contained in the 2025–2030 Strategic Plan of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, according to a Punch report on Wednesday.
The document said the large number of detainees awaiting trial has strained the justice system, prompting a coordinated review of case files by the NCTC, the Defence Headquarters and the Federal Ministry of Justice.
“At present, there are approximately 5,000 individuals suspected of having been involved in terrorism-related offences who are being held in pre-trial detention,” NCTC said.
“This has resulted in a significant backlog of cases, and the NCTC legal team has been working with the Defence Staff and the Federal Ministry of Justice to support the review of these case files and, where appropriate, to help to either expedite these prosecutions or to dismiss outstanding charges that have not been sufficiently substantiated to proceed to trial.”
NCTC said hearings have been coordinated at the Federal High Court sitting at the Wawa Military Cantonment in Kainji, Niger State, and in Abuja.
According to the strategic plan, the framework led to significant progress in 2024, with 393 terrorism-related cases prosecuted and 329 convictions.
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This pushed Nigeria’s conviction rate in terrorism cases to 84 per cent, compared to 41.5 per cent in 2018.
The document also revealed that charges against about 1,200 detainees were reviewed and dismissed in 2024, leading to their release and resettlement in their communities.
As part of broader reforms, the NCTC said Nigeria plans to introduce DNA profiling into a proposed National Database on Terrorism to strengthen investigations, prosecutions and intelligence-sharing.
The database, to be housed within the Office of the National Security Adviser, is expected to contain biometric data, including DNA profiles, of known and suspected members of terrorist groups, as well as intelligence on terrorist activities and methods.
It also noted that the initiative is intended to address gaps in information-sharing among security agencies and improve the identification and tracking of terrorist networks.
“Nigeria currently lacks a central National Database on Terrorism accessible to every agency engaged in the fight against terrorism,” NCTC added.
“The NACTEST (National Counter-Terrorism Strategy) identified the need for such an information-sharing system to be located within ONSA, and NCTC has been tasked by the National Security Adviser with establishing this database as part of NACTEST’s “Identify” and “Implement” work streams.
“The intention is that this database will contain full identifying particulars on known and suspected members of terrorist groups (including, where possible, biometric data and a DNA profile), information on terrorist modus operandi, and intelligence on reported terrorist activity.
“It will be populated with information and intelligence provided by correctional and detention facilities, law enforcement and security partners, and intelligence recovered and developed by staff from the Directorate of Intelligence.”
