FG Secures 1,721 Terrorism Convictions as Mass Trial Programme Delivers Record Prosecution Milestone

Nigeria's Federal Government has achieved a significant milestone in its fight against terrorism, securing 1,721 convictions through its ongoing Mass Trial Programme. This initiative, designed to strengthen the administration of criminal justice in terrorism cases, has seen a substantial acceleration, with more than half of the total convictions – 865 – recorded in the year 2026 alone.

The Mass Trial Programme, a coordinated effort involving the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Judiciary, security agencies, and international partners, commenced in October 2017. It has successfully concluded ten phases of mass trials across the country. ONSA's Director of Legal Services, Zakari Usman Mijinyawa, highlighted the government's commitment to both prosecuting terrorism suspects and upholding principles of fair hearing.

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The programme has continued to strengthen the administration of criminal justice in terrorism cases through a coordinated effort involving the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Judiciary, security and law enforcement agencies, as well as international partners.

Mijinyawa detailed the progression of the trials, noting that the initial phases between 2017 and 2018 yielded 366 convictions. Following a resumption in 2023, subsequent phases in 2024 and 2025 added further convictions. The most recent phases, Nine and Ten, conducted in 2026 at the Federal High Court in Abuja, resulted in the record 865 convictions, representing 50.3% of all terrorism-related convictions since the program's inception.

Alongside the convictions, the program has also seen defendants discharged or acquitted when guilt could not be established beyond reasonable doubt. This approach underscores the Federal Government's dedication to due process, the rule of law, and internationally recognized fair trial standards, even in the context of prosecuting severe offenses like terrorism, terrorism financing, and related crimes.

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While the government had intensified efforts to prosecute terrorism suspects, it had also remained committed to the principles of fair hearing by ensuring that defendants against whom guilt could not be established beyond reasonable doubt were either discharged or acquitted.