In a bold step towards stemming the rising tide of terrorism and related security challenges, the federal government Tuesday commenced the prosecution of 500 suspected terrorists.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, announced this while briefing journalists in Abuja after leading a team of the federal government’s lawyers to the Federal High Court (FHC) where he appeared as prosecution counsel.
Blueprint.ng reports that the suspects were brought to court in loads of trucks with heavy security provided by armed military and police personnel, as well as the Department of State Service (DSS) operatives.
The convicts bagged various jail terms ranging from 7 to 20 years, mostly for being suppliers of food items, Indian hemp and other needs of the terrorists.
The minister said the 500 defendants were being prosecuted in Phase 9 of the mass trial of suspected terrorists in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the mass trial of the suspected terrorists was moved to Abuja from the usual location in Kainji, Niger state.
Fagbemi said the trial would be concluded between Friday or Saturday.
“For today, we have 227 suspects brought to court on these terrorism charges and they are appearing before 10 judges of the Federal High Court.
“Don’t forget, this is Easter period. Ordinarily, the judges are not supposed to be here; they are supposed to be in their various homes to observe the Easter vacation.
“They have been so patriotic and they have prioritised the trial of terrorism suspects to underscore the importance that is attached to this trial. So we thank them.
“This is Phase 9, don’t forget. For Phase 9, we have 500 in all and it will last till either Friday or Saturday. It is hoped that from these 500, we will be able to go very, very far.
“So, we thank all the critical stakeholders, including of course you, members of the fourth estate of the realm, for considering the service to the nation first and forgoing your Easter period,” he said.
…Explains relocation from Kainji
On why the trial was moved from Kainji to Abuja, the minister said it was due to logistic purpose.
Fagbemi said: “Whether the cases are tried in Kainji or Maiduguri, those to try terrorism suspects are judges of the Federal High Court.
“For logistic purpose, it is not convenient to go to Kainji, although the same judges would have been ferried to Kainji.
“But it is more convenient here; we have more courtrooms here and the facilities, and for 10 judges at a time, you know what it means. It means a lot.
“That’s why we brought these ones here. We have an enablement in terms of law to sit here and that is why we are sitting here.”
The AGF further said Amnesty International, the media, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and members of the human rights community, among others, were in attendance to show that the proceedings were undergoing due process.
According to the minister, nobody will be convicted unless he has satisfied the provisions of the law.
“And that is why we are here. It is in the open; it is not a secret trial. You will see where confessions are made, where proof is given. Everything is in the public glare and you can see things for yourself.
“What has taken the Director General of the Legal Aid Council to also forgo his holiday this period is also appreciated.
“We have the full complement of the Federal Ministry of Justice, especially the Public Prosecution Department ably led by the Director of Public Prosecutions Department of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo,” he said.
…DG LAC expresses satisfaction
Also speaking, the DG, Legal Aid Council, Aliu Bagudu Abubakar, who led the defence team, expressed satisfaction with the trial.
He said the terrorism trial was made a little easy because majority of the suspects admitted to committing the crime.
“This has been our experience over the years and today’s trial is not different. Majority of them admit to committing the crime. A large number of them are also being convicted for association with Boko Haram.
“Some of them are not active participants in the Boko Haram or ISWAP activities as the case may be. They are being convicted as you are all aware under the law, because association is as grievous as committing an offence.
“Happily, I can say one or two suspects have been discharged and acquitted. You can imagine for somebody who has been in detention for four, five years under the military custody to be discharged and acquitted, shows that the trial has some levels of transparency,” he said.
Abubakar also said that as defence lawyers, , they were given the facility to interact with the suspects before being brought to court.
According to him, it is a prerequisite of the law.
He said pre-trial interviews were conducted for the defendants in Maiduguri and Kainji and his team was able to interact with those newly brought in on Monday before Tuesday’s trial.
…Hearing proper
In one of the proceedings, Justice Binta Nyako sentenced a major foodstuffs supplier to the Boko Haram terrorists in Borno state, Hamatu Modu to 40-year imprisonment for his involvement in terrorism activities.
Modu confessed in the open court to supplying food items and information to terrorists, following the 4-count charge brought against him, all of which he pleaded guilty.
Justice Nyako, in her judgment, sentenced him to 10 years on each of the four counts but due to plea of the defense counsel, the judge ordered that the 40-year imprisonment should run concurrently giving the convict opportunity to spend only 10 years.
Isah Ali, another food supplier also in Borno, was jailed 10 years by Justice Nyako.
His jail term will, however, start three years ago when he was arrested and clamped into detention.
The convict confessed to committing the offence as charged.
Justice Nyako ordered that the convicts be made to undergo rehabilitation and radicalisation at the end of their service of the jail terms.
The Federal Ministry of Interior was ordered to determine where the convicts will serve their jail terms.
In a related development, Sheu Buka, a father of three, was sentenced to 20- year imprisonment for selling goats to Boko Haram terrorists in Borno state.
Buka, who was put on trial on a 5- count charge by the federal government admitted in the open court and in his extra judicial statement that he committed the offense.
Following his denial of four other charges, the federal government withdrew the ones he denied and left him to count three alone.
Justice Nyako, after going through the confessional statement and admission of guilt in the open court as well as the investigation report, convicted the defendant and sentenced him to 20 years.
…Court refuses plea for leniency
The court also refused the plea for leniency made by the convict, adding that the issue of terrorism has become worrisome in virtually all parts of the country.
According to the court, rendering support to terrorists is a serious offense that must not be condoned.
Similarly, a father of six children, Hamza Yahuza was sentenced to seven-year jail term for selling Indian hemps and cigarettes to Boko Haram terrorists, also in Borno state.
Yahuza admitted in the open court to committing the offense in 2023 and begged the court profusely for forgiveness.
He also admitted supplying various drugs to the terrorists in parts of Monguno local government area of Borno state.
In the one-count charge, the 40-year-old convict, upon confession, sought leniency, which the trial judge rejected.
The judge also rejected the claims that it was poverty that pushed him into supplying drugs, Indian hemp and cigarettes to the Boko Haram members.
Justice Nyako imposed seven-year imprisonment on him but ordered that the sentence should start from March 6, 2023, when the convict was apprehended and clamped into detention by the federal government.
The trial continues Wednesday, April 8, 2026.
