FG secures 2,512 terrorism convictions after 11 trial phases, raises questions over years of delayed prosecutions

The Federal Government has secured 2,512 convictions in terrorism-related cases following the conclusion of the 11th phase of mass trials at the Federal High Court, Abuja, marking a significant development in the country’s efforts to bring suspected terrorists and their collaborators to justice.

The latest exercise, which produced 791 additional convictions, has also renewed attention to the years of prolonged detention of terrorism suspects without trial, the government’s earlier difficulties in prosecuting thousands of detainees and the security consequences of delays in implementing judicial decisions concerning their release.

The history is particularly significant against the background of coordinated attacks on correctional facilities across the country, including the July 2022 assault on the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre, Abuja, by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, who freed hundreds of inmates, including detained terrorism suspects.

The attacks came after years in which suspected Boko Haram members and associates were arrested in large numbers, detained in military facilities and correctional centres, with many remaining in custody for extended periods without formal prosecution.

Nigeria’s mass trials of suspected terrorists eventually commenced in October 2017, following concerns over the large number of detainees whose cases had remained unresolved since the escalation of the Boko Haram insurgency in 2009.

The first phase was conducted at the Wawa Military Cantonment in Kainji, Niger State, involving hundreds of suspects, some of whom had reportedly spent years in detention before being brought before the courts.

The second phase commenced in February 2018 after investigations into more than 1,000 suspects.

However, the proceedings exposed serious difficulties in establishing the culpability of several detainees.

In February 2018, the government announced the release of 475 suspected Boko Haram members after prosecutors concluded that there was insufficient evidence to charge them with any offence.

The suspects, some of whom had spent years in detention, were reportedly to undergo rehabilitation before being reunited with their families.

The development exposed the consequences of arresting and detaining large numbers of people on suspicion of association with insurgents without completing investigations and assembling sufficient admissible evidence to sustain criminal prosecutions.

Human rights organisations subsequently raised concerns about prolonged detention, inadequate access to lawyers, questionable confessions and the failure to implement some court-ordered releases.

Human Rights Watch, in a September 2018 report, also documented instances in which suspects who had been discharged during earlier trial sessions remained in military detention months after the courts had ordered their release.

The organisation warned that such failures undermined the rule of law and prolonged the suffering of detainees who had not been found guilty of terrorism-related offences.

The problem was not limited to the initial mass trials. Nigeria continued to grapple with large numbers of suspects awaiting trial, alongside repeated attacks on correctional facilities by armed groups and other criminal elements.

In 2021, several correctional centres came under attack, including facilities in Imo, Kogi, Oyo and Plateau states.

On April 5, 2021, gunmen attacked the Owerri Correctional Centre in Imo State, freeing more than 1,800 inmates.

On September 13, 2021, another attack on the Kabba Correctional Centre in Kogi State resulted in the escape of 240 inmates, while the Abolongo Correctional Centre in Oyo State was attacked on October 22, 2021, leading to the escape of hundreds of inmates.

Although the attacks were not all conclusively linked to terrorist organisations, they exposed the vulnerability of the country’s correctional infrastructure and the security implications of allowing armed groups to penetrate detention facilities.

The most consequential attack occurred on July 5, 2022, when ISWAP fighters stormed the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre in Abuja using explosives and sophisticated weapons.

The attackers reportedly freed 879 inmates, including detained members of Boko Haram and ISWAP, in an operation that exposed serious weaknesses in the security arrangements around the facility.

The Institute for Security Studies subsequently observed that the attack might have been influenced by the Islamic State’s earlier call for the liberation of detained fighters.

The Kuje incident demonstrated that correctional facilities holding terrorism suspects could become targets of coordinated rescue operations by armed groups seeking to recover their detained members.

Although the government subsequently intensified efforts to prosecute terrorism suspects and strengthen custodial security, the challenge of ensuring timely trials, lawful detention and effective enforcement of court orders has remained a major concern.

Latest prosecution figures

Against this background, the National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Adamu Laka, announced that the Federal Government had secured 2,512 convictions across 11 phases of terrorism trials.

Laka disclosed this on Tuesday during a press briefing marking the conclusion of the latest phase of the proceedings, which were conducted between October 15 and 17 and October 22 and 24, 2026.

He explained that the first 10 phases produced 1,721 convictions, while the 11th phase contributed another 791, bringing the cumulative figure to 2,512.

According to him, 1,069 cases were handled across 10 courts of the Federal High Court in Abuja during the latest exercise.

The outcomes comprised 791 convictions, seven acquittals, 41 discharges, four cases struck out, three withdrawn, 211 adjourned and 11 pending, while one fell under another category.

“During the 11th phase, an additional 791 convictions were recorded, bringing the cumulative number of convictions across all 11 phases to 2,512,” Laka said.

One of the notable decisions, he disclosed, was the conviction and death sentence imposed on a Boko Haram member, Suleiman Abu, for membership of the terrorist organisation and participation in attacks on military facilities and civilians, resulting in deaths and serious injuries.

Laka said the judgment demonstrated the commitment of the Nigerian justice system to ensuring that perpetrators of terrorism were held accountable for their actions.

Terrorism financing under scrutiny

The latest phase also extended the prosecution effort beyond direct perpetrators of terrorist attacks to individuals suspected of financing and facilitating the activities of armed groups.

Laka disclosed that 201 terrorism-financing cases were handled during the exercise, describing the disruption of financial networks as a critical component of the country’s counter-terrorism strategy.

He explained that funding enabled terrorist organisations to procure weapons, recruit fighters, transport personnel and sustain their operations.

“Accountability extends beyond direct perpetrators to persons who knowingly finance, facilitate or otherwise support terrorism,” he said.

The focus on financial facilitators reflects the government’s recognition that prosecuting fighters alone may not sufficiently weaken terrorist organisations whose operations depend on networks of financiers, suppliers and other collaborators.

Government promises respect for defendants’ rights

Despite the high number of convictions, Laka emphasised that the prosecution process was not designed to secure convictions at all costs but to ensure justice in accordance with the law.

He said acquittals, discharges and other judicial outcomes were equally important components of a credible justice system, stressing that the prosecution must establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

Similarly, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, assured that the Federal Government would respect the constitutional rights of defendants and ensure that those whose rights had been violated received appropriate remedies in accordance with the law.

Oyedepo maintained that the constitutional guarantees contained in Chapter Four of the 1999 Constitution applied to every individual, irrespective of the seriousness of the allegations against them.

“Government must act in accordance with the law. If you check Chapter Four of the Constitution, that gives rights to everyone of us, even the most hardened criminal. Those provisions or principles must be respected,” he said.

He explained that defendants who believed their fundamental rights had been infringed could approach the courts for appropriate remedies, including compensation and an apology where justified.

Oyedepo also assured that the government would implement legal advice recommending the release of defendants where the evidence was insufficient to sustain prosecution.

He, however, cautioned against attempts by individuals to exploit alleged violations of their rights for financial benefits, insisting that only genuine claims established in accordance with the law would attract compensation.

The latest figures therefore present two important dimensions of Nigeria’s counter-terrorism campaign: the increasing number of successful prosecutions and the continuing obligation of the government to ensure that arrests, investigations, detention and prosecution comply with constitutional safeguards.

Beyond the 2,512 convictions, the challenge remains ensuring that suspected terrorists are investigated promptly, those against whom sufficient evidence exists are prosecuted without unnecessary delay, and persons cleared by the courts are not unlawfully kept in detention.

For a country that has witnessed coordinated attacks on correctional facilities, including the Kuje prison assault, the effective prosecution of terrorism suspects and the lawful management of those in custody remain critical components of national security.