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The Nigerian Government has announced that 653 terrorism suspects have been convicted during the ongoing 11th phase of special terrorism trials at the High Court in Abuja.
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, disclosed this on Friday while reviewing the trial’s progress. He said 1,060 suspects had been brought before the court for the exercise.
Fagbemi said the court had tried 880 cases, resulting in 653 convictions, seven acquittals and 27 discharges as of Friday. However, he noted that the trials were still ongoing and that the final figures would be released when the exercise ends.
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He described the current phase as apparently the largest since the Nigerian Government began the special terrorism trials. He attributed the progress to judicial cooperation, effective prosecution and collaboration among security and justice agencies.
The AGF commended the judges handling the cases, particularly Justice Binta Nyako, who has been acting on behalf of the Chief Judge of the High Court, Justice John Tsoho. He also praised prosecution and defence lawyers, as well as security agencies and other justice institutions, for their contributions to the process.
According to Fagbemi, cooperation among the institutions has helped advance the prosecution of terrorism, terrorism financing and related offences in Nigeria. On the representation of defendants by lawyers from the Legal Aid Council, he said the council was fulfilling its duty to provide legal assistance to eligible defendants. He clarified that some suspects were also being represented by private legal practitioners.
Fagbemi said defence lawyers had been meeting their clients before court proceedings. These preparations include visits to detention facilities and discussions to help defendants prepare their defence. However, he noted that some of these activities could not be open to public scrutiny because of security concerns surrounding the cases.
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The AGF also highlighted the role of deradicalisation in the trial process. He said the programme was intended to help eligible individuals understand and regret their actions, allowing them to reintegrate into society and resume their daily lives.
He maintained that rehabilitation and reintegration were important alongside prosecution, as they could help reduce the risk of individuals returning to extremist activities.
The ongoing trials form part of the Nigerian Government’s efforts to prosecute terrorism-related offences and strengthen accountability in its response to insecurity.
