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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Crime & Justice

Over 1,700 terror suspects convicted since 2017 – FG

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • The Nigerian Federal Government has secured 1,721 convictions for terrorism and related offenses since its mass trial program began in October 2017.
  • This initiative, coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser, aims to strengthen criminal justice administration while upholding due process and the rule of law.
  • The program has completed 10 phases of trials, ensuring justice for defendants where evidence was insufficient and resulting in acquittals or discharges.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has reported securing 1,721 convictions for terrorism and related offenses through its mass trial program, which commenced in October 2017. This initiative is presented as a key component of the government's strategy to enhance criminal justice administration while adhering to due process and the rule of law.

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

— Zakari MijinyawaDirector of Legal Services, ONSA, describing the terrorism mass trial program.

Zakari Mijinyawa, Director of Legal Services in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), detailed the program's progress during a joint security briefing. Coordinated by ONSA in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Judiciary, security agencies, and international partners, the program has successfully concluded 10 phases of terrorism trials. Mijinyawa stressed that the program also focuses on ensuring justice for defendants when the prosecution fails to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt, leading to discharges or acquittals.

Since the commencement of the programme in October 2017, 10 phases of mass trials have been successfully conducted, resulting in 1,721 convictions for terrorism and related offences.

— Zakari MijinyawaReporting the number of convictions secured through the mass trial program.

Initial phases of the mass trials, conducted between 2017 and 2018, resulted in 366 convictions and 882 discharges. The program resumed in 2023, with subsequent phases in 2024 and 2025 yielding hundreds more convictions, including cases involving terrorism financing and sexual and gender-based violence. The most significant progress was reported in 2026, with Phases Nine and Ten at the Federal High Court in Abuja securing 865 convictions, representing over half of all terrorism-related convictions recorded since the program's inception.

The programme has also ensured that defendants against whom the prosecution did not establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt were discharged or acquitted, demonstrating the government’s commitment to due process, the rule of law, and fair trial standards.

— Zakari MijinyawaHighlighting the program's adherence to due process and fair trial standards.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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