The Federal Government announced on Monday that it has concluded 1,743 terrorism-related trials across six phases since 2017.
Mohammed Babadoko, Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, disclosed that 742 convictions were secured, while 888 individuals were discharged and acquitted due to insufficient evidence. Additionally, 92 cases have been adjourned.
At a media briefing in Abuja, Babadoko provided a breakdown of the trials:
- In October 2017: 50 convictions, 203 acquittals, and 28 adjournments.
- In February 2018: 203 convictions, 582 acquittals, and 24 adjournments.
- In July 2018: 113 convictions, 102 acquittals, and 9 adjournments.
- In December 2023: 14 convictions, 1 acquittal, and 10 adjournments.
- In July 2024: 125 convictions, no acquittals, and 21 adjournments.
- In December 2024: 237 convictions, no acquittals, and no adjournments.
“Some defendants faced charges of terrorism, terrorism financing, and other crimes, with sentences ranging from 60 years to life imprisonment,” Babadoko noted.
He added that in the past year alone, 515 cases were resolved, and over 800 individuals, either acquitted or released after serving their sentences, were transferred to Operation Safe Corridor in Gombe for rehabilitation and reintegration, in alignment with court orders and government policy.
Director of Legal Services at the Office of the National Security Adviser, Zakari Mijinyawa, clarified that individuals eligible for deradicalization through the Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration, and Rehabilitation (DDRR) program are those not found guilty by the courts. “Convicted individuals serve their sentences, while the DDRR program is designed for those the courts deem unsuitable for incarceration. It includes psychological evaluations, family reunifications, mental health support, and economic reintegration initiatives,” Mijinyawa said.
Major General Adamu Laka, Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, recounted notable terrorist attacks in Nigeria, starting with the October 1, 2010, Independence Day bombing in Abuja, and subsequent escalations, including attacks on the UN building and Police Headquarters in Abuja by Boko Haram under Abubakar Shekau’s leadership.
Laka commended the collaborative efforts of stakeholders involved in the mass trials, including Federal High Court judges, prosecutors, Legal Aid Council defense lawyers, officials from the Office of the National Security Adviser, and the press.
