MorganABLE news/ Security & justice
The minister described the development as significant progress in the government’s efforts to ensure that individuals accused of terrorism-related activities were subjected to judicial processes.
KaNo —
The Federal Government has secured the conviction of 653 terrorism suspects in the ongoing mass trials at the Federal High Court, as part of efforts to strengthen the prosecution of terrorism-related offences and address insecurity across the country.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, disclosed this on Friday while providing an update on the 11th phase of the mass terrorism trials, which commenced on October 19 and was scheduled to end on October 24.
Fagbemi revealed that 1,060 suspects were brought before the court during the exercise, making it the largest phase of the mass trials since the commencement of the programme.
According to him, as of 12:15 p.m. on Friday, the court had handled 880 cases, resulting in 653 convictions, seven acquittals and 27 discharges.
He explained that the figures remained provisional, as proceedings were still ongoing, adding that the Federal Government would release the final statistics after the conclusion of the exercise.
The minister described the development as significant progress in the government’s efforts to ensure that individuals accused of terrorism-related activities were subjected to judicial processes.
He noted that the ongoing exercise represented the third phase of the terrorism trials conducted in 2026 and the 11th phase since the programme began.
“This is the third phase this year alone. But generally, this is the 11th phase. That is if you consider everything since we started.
“For this 11th phase… we have 1,060 suspects brought for trial. We are not through with it. As at now, as at quarter after 12 today, we have had about 880 trials. Of this 880, 653 have been convicted, seven acquitted, 27 discharged,” Fagbemi said.
He added that the number of cases considered during the latest phase demonstrated the scale of the exercise and the commitment of the participating institutions to handling terrorism-related prosecutions.
“But by tomorrow when we finish, I will be able to give, or we would be able to give the final figure. We would also observe that this appears to be the largest since we started,” he stated.
Fagbemi attributed the progress recorded during the trials to cooperation among judicial officers, prosecutors, defence lawyers, security agencies and other institutions responsible for facilitating the proceedings.
He particularly commended the judges involved in the exercise for their commitment to ensuring that the cases were heard despite the large number of defendants brought before the court.
The Attorney-General acknowledged the leadership of Justice Binta Nyako, who he said had been coordinating the participating judges while holding forth for the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.
He maintained that the contributions of the judiciary had been instrumental in ensuring the smooth conduct of the proceedings and the handling of cases within the scheduled period.
The minister also praised the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, the Nigerian military, the Nigeria Police Force and correctional authorities for their roles in supporting the exercise.
Other institutions acknowledged included the Legal Aid Council and relevant agencies involved in the administration of justice and the management of terrorism suspects.
According to Fagbemi, collaboration among these institutions has remained essential to the prosecution of terrorism-related offences, particularly given the logistical and legal demands associated with conducting trials involving hundreds of defendants.
He stressed that the exercise required coordination among agencies responsible for investigations, prosecution, custody, legal representation and judicial proceedings.
Speaking on access to legal representation, the minister explained that arrangements had been made to ensure that defendants were represented by lawyers during the proceedings.
He clarified that the Legal Aid Council was not solely responsible for providing defence counsel, noting that private legal practitioners had also participated in representing suspects standing trial.
Fagbemi said the defence lawyers had been involved in preparations before the commencement of the proceedings, including consultations with suspects and visits to detention facilities.
He explained that these engagements were intended to enable the lawyers to familiarise themselves with their clients’ cases and prepare for their defence in court.
The Attorney-General’s explanation highlighted the involvement of both publicly supported legal assistance and private practitioners in the ongoing mass trials.
Beyond prosecution, Fagbemi emphasised the importance of deradicalisation programmes in addressing the circumstances that could lead individuals to engage in terrorism-related activities.
He explained that deradicalisation formed an important component of the government’s approach to handling suspects who might eventually be discharged and returned to their communities.
According to him, the process is intended to help such individuals abandon extremist beliefs, reflect on their previous conduct and develop the capacity to reintegrate into society.
“Deradicalisation is an aspect of the exercise. There’s no way you can be discharged without, you know, going through that recommendation. You must be deradicalised,” he said.
Fagbemi maintained that rehabilitation efforts were necessary to reduce the possibility of individuals returning to activities that initially brought them into contact with security agencies.
He explained that successful reintegration would require a process through which affected individuals could reassess their actions and prepare to resume productive lives within their communities.
“You know, what took you there in the first instance, there must be a system to let you, you know, regret the action you have taken, so that when you get back to society, you will be able to fit in the society and continue your daily life,” he added.
The minister’s remarks underscored the Federal Government’s emphasis on combining criminal prosecution with rehabilitation and reintegration measures in its response to terrorism.
The ongoing trials also reflect the role of the Federal High Court in determining the legal responsibility of persons accused of terrorism-related offences, including those who may ultimately be acquitted or discharged.
With proceedings scheduled to conclude on Saturday, October 24, the government is expected to provide an updated breakdown of the cases handled, convictions secured and other judicial outcomes recorded during the exercise.
The final figures are also expected to provide a clearer picture of the overall results of the 11th phase, which the Attorney-General described as the largest since the mass terrorism trials commenced.
