The Federal Government has secured the conviction of 653 defendants charged with terrorism-related offences in the latest phase of mass trials at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), disclosed this on Friday while speaking with journalists shortly after attending proceedings in the ongoing exercise.
Fagbemi said approximately 880 cases had been determined as of 12:15 p.m. on Friday, with seven defendants acquitted and 27 discharged.
He, however, noted that the figures were provisional, explaining that the exercise was expected to be concluded on Saturday, when the government would announce the final statistics.
“We are not through with the trial, but as of 12:15 p.m. today, we have had about 880 trials. Of these 880, 653 have been convicted, seven acquitted and 27 discharged,” the minister said.
He described the latest exercise as apparently the largest since the commencement of the mass trials, attributing its scale to the cooperation and guidance of the judges handling the cases.
The development comes amid sustained national concerns over terrorism and insecurity, with the mass trial intended to accelerate the prosecution of terrorism-related offences and reduce the backlog of pending cases.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the latest phase of the trial commenced on October 16 and is being conducted simultaneously in different courtrooms, with no fewer than 10 judges participating.
Fagbemi commended the judiciary, prosecution counsel, defence lawyers, relevant government agencies and other stakeholders for their contributions to the conduct of the proceedings.
He maintained that the cooperation among the different parties had helped facilitate the exercise.
The minister also dismissed suggestions that journalists had been barred from covering the trials, insisting that the security arrangements surrounding the proceedings should not be interpreted as an attempt to conceal information from the public.
He explained that the cases involved terrorism and therefore required adequate security measures, including the identification of individuals seeking access to the courtrooms.
“Don’t forget, what we are dealing with is terrorism and security is involved. So, when any action is taken, I want you to see that it is in the interest of all and sundry,” he said.
Fagbemi added that accredited journalists would be allowed into the courtrooms, arguing that the government had no reason to prevent the media from reporting on the proceedings.
“Why will the government say don’t participate? What do we have to hide? You were in court; you saw what happened. So what can you say has been taken from you?” he asked.
He stressed that the restrictions were intended to address security concerns rather than undermine press freedom, adding that journalists remained important stakeholders in the administration of justice.
The AGF also rejected the impression that the defence of the accused persons was being handled exclusively by lawyers from the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria.
According to him, lawyers from the private bar and other independent stakeholders have also participated in the proceedings and represented defendants.
He explained that defence counsel were expected to visit the detention facility and interact with their clients before taking up their briefs to enable them to prepare adequately for the cases.
Fagbemi further disclosed that deradicalisation was part of the broader process, particularly in cases involving defendants considered for discharge.
He said the relevant recommendations were necessary to help ensure that individuals released from custody could reintegrate into society.
The mass trial represents part of the Federal Government’s efforts to expedite the prosecution of terrorism suspects through coordinated court proceedings.
However, the final outcome of the exercise, including the total number of convictions, acquittals and discharges, is expected to become clearer after the conclusion of the proceedings on Saturday.
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