FG secures 2,512 terrorism convictions in 11 trial phases

The Federal Government has secured 2,512 convictions in terrorism-related cases following the conclusion of the 11th phase of terrorism trials at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Adamu Laka, disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday to mark the conclusion of the latest phase of trials, held between October 15 and 17 and October 22 and 24, 2026.

He said 791 additional convictions were recorded during the latest phase, bringing the cumulative number of convictions from the 11 phases to 2,512.

According to him, a total of 1,069 cases were handled across 10 courts of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

The outcomes included 791 convictions, seven acquittals, 41 discharges, four cases struck out, three withdrawn, 211 adjourned, 11 pending and one classified under another category.

Laka said, “Prior to this phase, the first 10 phases had resulted in a cumulative total of 1,721 convictions.

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

He disclosed that one of the significant outcomes was the conviction and death sentence imposed on a Boko Haram member, Suleiman Abu, for belonging to the terrorist group and participating in attacks on military facilities and civilians, which resulted in deaths and serious injuries.

He said the judgment demonstrated the commitment of Nigeria’s justice system to holding perpetrators of terrorism accountable.

“The judgment shows the seriousness with which Nigeria’s justice system addresses terrorism and affirms that perpetrators, regardless of affiliation, are accountable under the law when criminal responsibility is established beyond reasonable doubt,” he said.

Laka added that the latest phase also addressed the financial networks sustaining terrorism, with 201 terrorism-financing cases handled by the courts.

He described the disruption of such networks as essential to Nigeria’s counter-terrorism strategy, noting that they provided resources for weapons, movement, recruitment, operational structures and attacks.

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

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The coordinator, however, stressed that the government’s counter-terrorism efforts were not driven by the desire to secure convictions at all costs, but by the need to ensure justice and respect defendants’ rights.

He said, “Convictions, acquittals, discharges and other judicial outcomes all form part of a credible justice system. Prosecution must ensure justice in every case: guilt must be established beyond reasonable doubt, and where the prosecution fails to prove an offence, defendants’ rights must be respected and appropriate judicial orders implemented.”

Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), said the Federal Government would ensure that defendants whose rights had been violated received compensation in accordance with the law.

Oyedepo said the Constitution guaranteed fundamental rights to everyone, including persons accused of committing serious crimes.

He stated, “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 explained that defendants who believed their rights had been infringed could approach the court for appropriate remedies, including damages and an apology.

Oyedepo added that the government would ensure that legal advice recommending the release of defendants was implemented.

“Every one of those cases, deliberate decisions or steps have been taken to ensure that our legal advice recommending their release is not only just a word on paper, but we follow it through to ensure that they are implemented,” he said.

He, however, warned against attempts by individuals to exploit alleged rights violations to obtain money from the government, insisting that only genuine claims would attract compensation.

“We will not allow that also to happen. But we will ensure that those who are genuine, who have genuine cases, will be compensated in line with the Constitution,” he added.

Nigeria commenced mass trials of suspected terrorists in October 2017, with the first phase held at the Wawa Military Cantonment in Kainji, Niger State.

The second phase began on February 12, 2018, at the same facility, following the conclusion of investigations into more than 1,000 suspects.