Spread the word
The Federal Government has secured 653 convictions in the ongoing mass trial of terrorism suspects, with the court hearing 880 cases involving defendants arrested across the country.
The convictions were recorded during the third phase of the special court sessions for the prosecution of terrorism suspects, in which 1,060 persons were brought before the court over various offences connected with terrorism.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, disclosed the figures on Friday after proceedings, saying the court had also acquitted seven defendants and discharged 27 others.
Fagbemi, who led the prosecution, said the trial was still ongoing and that the final figures would be announced after the exercise had been concluded.
He described the current phase as the largest since the Federal Government began conducting special court sessions for terrorism-related cases, attributing the progress recorded to judicial cooperation, effective prosecution and collaboration among relevant institutions.
Judicial and security agencies commended
The Attorney-General expressed appreciation to the judges handling the cases, particularly Justice Binta Nyako, who has been acting on behalf of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho.
He also commended the prosecution team, defence counsel and security agencies for their contributions to the conduct of the proceedings.
Among the institutions recognised were the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, the military, the Nigeria Police Force, correctional centres and the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria.
According to Fagbemi, cooperation among the institutions has been crucial to advancing the prosecution of terrorism, terrorism financing and related offences.
The mass trial is part of the Federal Government’s efforts to bring suspects accused of terrorism-related activities before the courts. The reported convictions, however, relate to individual cases determined during the proceedings.
Defendants receive legal representation
Fagbemi also addressed concerns about the legal representation provided to defendants, explaining that the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria was fulfilling its responsibility to offer legal assistance to eligible persons.
He clarified that not all defendants were represented by lawyers from the council, as some had engaged private legal practitioners.
The AGF said defence lawyers were allowed to consult their clients before court proceedings and were granted access to detention facilities to prepare their cases.
He said the arrangements were intended to enable defence counsel to discharge their responsibilities effectively during the trial.
The provision of legal representation remains an important part of the proceedings, allowing defendants to present their cases in accordance with established judicial procedures.
Deradicalisation, rehabilitation considered
Fagbemi said deradicalisation remained an important component of the broader response to terrorism, particularly where the court recommended that suspects undergo the process.
He maintained that rehabilitation and reintegration should complement prosecution and other security measures to reduce the risk of individuals returning to extremist activities.
The approach, he said, was necessary to address not only the legal consequences of terrorism-related offences but also the challenges associated with preventing further involvement in extremist groups.
The Attorney-General said the trial would continue until all scheduled cases had been dealt with, after which the government would provide the final figures.
With 653 convictions recorded from the 880 cases heard so far, the third phase remains ongoing, while the court’s decisions on the remaining cases are awaited.
Spread the word