By By Elizabeth Ugbo
The Federal Government has secured about 150 terrorism convictions within the first two days of its latest mass terrorism trials. Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), announced the development on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The trials, which began on Monday, involve hundreds of terrorism suspects. Ten Federal High Court judges are handling the cases simultaneously as part of a week-long exercise aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s fight against terrorism.
FG Records 150 Convictions in Ongoing Terrorism Trials
Speaking to journalists after the court sessions, Fagbemi said the first day of proceedings featured about 160 terrorism trials, resulting in nearly 150 convictions.
He added that the courts heard approximately 300 additional cases on Tuesday. Another 84 cases were expected to conclude before the end of the day.
“Whatever we can do, or wherever we stop today, we’ll continue tomorrow and also on Thursday. So it’s still ongoing,” the minister said.
The current phase of the trials is expected to continue through Thursday. However, the entire exercise will last one week.
Government Reaffirms Zero Tolerance for Terrorism
Fagbemi said the ongoing proceedings mark the fourth phase of mass terrorism trials under the current administration.
According to him, the trials send a strong message that Nigeria will not tolerate terrorism in any form.
“Since the inception of this administration, this is about the fourth phase that we are undertaking. So the message is that let everybody know that terrorism in whatever form or shape will not be tolerated,” he said.
He also urged Nigerians to remain patient as the exercise continues. Furthermore, he stressed that the initiative demonstrates the government’s commitment to justice, accountability, and the rule of law.
Multiple Judges Handle Hundreds of Cases
The Attorney-General personally leads the prosecution team. Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Legal Aid Council, Aliyu Abubakar, heads the defence team.
Several Federal High Court judges are presiding over the cases simultaneously. They include Justices Binta Nyako, Emeka Nwite, Musa Liman, James Omotosho, Obiora Egwuatu, and Ekerete Akpan.
The judges are conducting proceedings across multiple courtrooms at the Federal High Court in Abuja to speed up the trial process.
Mass Terrorism Trials Continue
The Federal Government expects the ongoing exercise to conclude later this week. Officials believe the trials will strengthen Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts while ensuring that suspects face justice under the law.
