A total of 653 terrorism suspects have been convicted in the ongoing 11th phase of terrorism trials at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the Federal Government has said.
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), disclosed this on Friday while providing an update on the progress of the trials, noting that 1,060 suspects had been brought before the court.
According to Fagbemi, 880 cases had been tried as of Friday, resulting in 653 convictions, seven acquittals and 27 discharges.
He said the exercise was still ongoing, adding that the final figures would be announced at its conclusion.
The AGF described the current phase as potentially the largest since the Federal Government began conducting special terrorism trials, attributing the progress to judicial cooperation, effective prosecution and collaboration among relevant agencies.
Fagbemi commended the judges handling the cases, particularly under the leadership of Justice Binta Nyako, who has been acting on behalf of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho.
He also praised prosecution and defence counsel, as well as security and justice institutions, for their contributions to the proceedings.
According to him, cooperation among the institutions has been crucial to advancing the prosecution of terrorism, terrorism financing and related offences in the country.
Addressing concerns about the representation of defendants by lawyers from the Legal Aid Council, Fagbemi explained that the council was fulfilling its mandate to provide legal assistance to eligible defendants. He added that some suspects were also being represented by private legal practitioners.
The AGF said defence lawyers had been engaging with their clients ahead of court proceedings, including visiting detention facilities and preparing them for their defence.
He noted that some of these preparatory activities could not be made public because of the sensitive security considerations surrounding the cases.
On deradicalisation for suspects referred by the court, Fagbemi described the process as an important component of the broader exercise.
He explained that deradicalisation was intended to help eligible individuals recognise and regret their actions, enabling them to reintegrate into society and resume their normal lives.
Fagbemi stressed that rehabilitation and reintegration were necessary complements to the judicial process and could help reduce the risk of individuals returning to extremist activities.
The ongoing trials form part of the Federal Government’s efforts to prosecute terrorism-related offences and strengthen accountability in its response to insecurity across the country.
