Nigeria Convicts 653 Terrorists in Major Court Trials

The federal government has secured the conviction of 653 individuals charged with terrorism-related offenses in a mass trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, announced this on Friday, detailing that 1,060 suspects were brought before the courts for trial in the third phase of the special terrorism trials conducted this year.

As of noon on Friday, 880 cases had been tried, resulting in 653 convictions, seven acquittals, and 27 discharges. Fagbemi noted that this phase is the largest since the commencement of the special terrorism trials, attributing the success to judicial cooperation, effective prosecution, and inter-agency collaboration.

He expressed gratitude to judges, particularly Justice Binta Nyako, and acknowledged the contributions of various security and justice institutions, including the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, and the Legal Aid Council. The AGF also discussed the importance of deradicalization for eligible suspects to facilitate their reintegration into society.