Court convicts 125 terrorism suspects in mass trial

The Nigerian government has secured the conviction of 125 Boko Haram suspects of terrorism offences, including terrorism financing.

The Federal High Court handed down the conviction in a mass trial held at the military detention facility in Kanji, Niger State.

The trial, conducted over two days, saw defendants face charges ranging from financing terrorism to committing crimes under the International Criminal Court (ICC) statutes.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, announced the convictions on Friday through a statement released by his spokesperson, Kamarudeen Ogundele.

Mr Fagbemi stated that 85 individuals were convicted of financing terrorism, 22 for ICC-related crimes, and the remaining defendants for various terrorism offences.

He said the trials, part of the Giwa Project Kanji Phase Five, were conducted by five Federal High Court judges.

The judges were Binta Nyakoh Joyce Abdulmalik, Emeka Nwite, Obiora Egwuatu, and Mobolaji Olajuwon.

“All 125 defendants were found guilty of the charges brought against them,” Mr Fagbemi stated.

The AGF noted that the trial was coordinated with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

The Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mohammed Abubakar, led the prosecution, while Abdulfatai Bakre led the defence team from the Legal Aid Council,

Observers

Representatives from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) attended the trial to monitor compliance of the proceedings with legal requirements and standards.

The statement said 400 individuals who had completed their sentences have been transferred to Operation Safe Corridor in Gombe State for rehabilitation, deradicalisation, and reintegration into society.

The Head of Strategic Communication for the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC-ONSA), Abu Michael, stated on Wednesday that the ongoing trials align with the international criminal justice system.

He said that at least 300 suspects are on trial, represented by lawyers from the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria.

“In pursuance of its commitment to promoting social justice by entrenching a transparent administrative system, the Federal Government has resumed mass trials of individuals allegedly involved in terrorism and other heinous crimes against the Nigerian State,” Mr Michael said.

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The trials involve multiple stakeholders, including prosecutors from the Federal Ministry of Justice’s Complex Case Group (CCG) and defence counsel from the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria.

Mr Michael noted that 800 cases had been reviewed, with charges prepared for thorough prosecution.

Previous convictions

Between 2017 and 2018, previous trials resulted in 163 convictions, 882 discharges, and five acquittals. Efforts to deradicalise and reintegrate non-culpable suspects into society are ongoing.

In May 2021, PREMIUM TIMES reported on special terrorism prosecution courts where the government intends to try Boko Haram suspects.

The Federal High Court, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice, deployed designated judges to various detention facilities across the country to expedite the trials of terrorism suspects detained in Kanji, Niger State.