888 Suspects Acquitted In Nigeria’s Ongoing Terrorism Trials

A total of 888 people accused of links to terrorism have been acquitted and released by the court due to lack of sufficient evidence, the Nigeria government disclosed on Monday as it gave an update on the trial of suspects.

The federal government made this announcement and revealed that since 2017, 1,743 suspects have been tried in Nigeria and specifically at the Kainji detention facility under six phases of terrorism trials.

During a press briefing in Abuja, the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mohammed Abubakar Babadoko, shared updates on the trials. He explained that, in addition to the 888 acquitted, over 200 individuals were convicted in the sixth phase of trials for terrorism-related offenses. He highlighted that the current government has been working hard to resume trials that were previously postponed.

Babadoko detailed the outcomes of several key trials: “In October 2017, 50 were convicted; 203 were discharged and acquitted; 28 were adjourned. In February 2018, 203 were convicted, 582 were discharged/acquitted, and 24 were adjourned. In July 2018, 113 were convicted, 102 were discharged/acquitted, and 9 were adjourned.”

He continued with more recent figures, saying, “In December 2023, 14 were convicted; 1 was acquitted; 10 were adjourned. In July 2024, 125 were convicted; none were acquitted, and 21 cases were adjourned. In December 2024, 237 were convicted; none were acquitted, and no cases were adjourned.”

The charges for some of these individuals included terrorism, financing terrorism, and other related crimes, with sentences ranging from 60 years to life imprisonment. Babadoko also mentioned that over 800 individuals had been moved to the Operation Safe Corridor in Gombe for rehabilitation and reintegration, as per the court’s orders.

Zakari Mijinyawa, the Director of Legal Services at the Office of the National Security Adviser, explained that the Deradicalisation, Disarmament, and Reintegration (DDRR) process applies to those not found guilty of crimes by the court. “If there is evidence and you go through the trial and are convicted, you serve your sentence,” he said. He emphasized that the DDRR process involves psychological assessments, family reunifications, mental health support, and economic intervention for those deemed unsuitable for prison.

Major General Adamu Laka, the Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, discussed the early days of terrorism in Nigeria, highlighting the significant attack on Nigeria’s Independence Day on October 1, 2010. He noted that this attack, along with others like the bombing of the UN building and police headquarters by Boko Haram, marked the rise of terrorism in the country.

Laka also spoke about the cooperation between various government agencies in the mass trial process, including judges from the Federal High Court, prosecutors, defense lawyers from the Legal Aid Council, staff from the Office of the National Security Adviser, and the Nigerian Bar Association.

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