ABUJA – The Federal Government has achieved 1,743 convictions across six phases of terrorism-related trials conducted since 2017. Out of these, 742 individuals were convicted, while 888 were discharged and acquitted due to insufficient evidence or other reasons. Additionally, 92 cases remain adjourned.
This information was disclosed on Monday by Mohammed Babadoko, Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, during a press briefing in Abuja.
Detailing the outcomes of the trials, Babadoko stated:
October 2017: 50 convictions, 203 acquittals, 28 adjournments.
February 2018: 203 convictions, 582 acquittals, 24 adjournments.
July 2018: 113 convictions, 102 acquittals, 9 adjournments.
December 2023: 14 convictions, 1 acquittal, 10 adjournments.
July 2024: 125 convictions, no acquittals, 21 adjournments.
December 2024: 237 convictions, no acquittals, no adjournments.
These cases covered terrorism, financing of terrorism, and related crimes, with sentences ranging from 60 years to life imprisonment.
Babadoko further revealed that over the past year, 515 cases were concluded, and more than 800 individuals, including those discharged or acquitted, were transferred to Operation Safe Corridor in Gombe for rehabilitation and reintegration, in compliance with court orders and federal government policies.
Operation Safe Corridor targets those deemed not guilty by the courts, ensuring they undergo psychological evaluations, family reunifications, and economic reintegration programs, according to Zakari Mijinyawa, Director of Legal Services at the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Highlighting the origins of terrorism in Nigeria, Major General Adamu Laka, Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, recounted the 2010 Independence Day attack in Abuja and subsequent high-profile incidents, including the UN building and Police Headquarters bombings by Boko Haram under Abubakar Shekau’s leadership.
Laka emphasized the collaborative efforts of stakeholders, including Federal High Court judges, prosecutors, defence counsel, and observers, in ensuring fair and transparent trials.
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