Government not taking insecurity with levity, AGF says

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, asserted that the ongoing mass terrorism trials underscore the federal government's firm commitment to combating insecurity. He stated that the government is not treating terrorism lightly, emphasizing a clear and direct message against the menace.

Proceedings began Monday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, with over 400 terrorism suspects facing charges related to terrorism, terrorism financing, and aiding insurgent activities. The prosecution team is led by Mr. Fagbemi himself, alongside the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo. The Legal Aid Council of Nigeria is providing legal representation for indigent defendants.

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The message is clear, direct and straightforward. The present administration is not taking the issue of terrorism with levity.

This exercise follows a similar mass trial in April, where the government reported securing convictions for 386 terrorism suspects. Mr. Fagbemi indicated that approximately 490 suspects were being tried on Monday, with an additional 84 scheduled for arraignment the following day, bringing the total in this phase to over 600, excluding carry-overs. Ten judges are exclusively dedicated to these trials, which are scheduled to run for four days to ensure speedy hearings while upholding legal safeguards. The trials occur amidst a recent surge in mass killings and kidnappings by bandit and terrorist groups across the country.

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10 judges are dedicated solely to terrorism trials