Abuja Mass Trial: Federal Government Commits to Eradicating Terrorism in Nigeria

The federal government announced on Monday that it is committed to eliminating terrorism and related activities from Nigeria.

Attorney‑General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, made the statement while speaking with journalists shortly after he led a team of lawyers to the Federal High Court in Abuja for the ongoing mass trial of suspected terrorists.

“We will fight with every inch of our blood to ensure that we make Nigeria a safe haven for everybody,” he said. “The message is clear, direct and straightforward: the present administration is not treating the issue of terrorism lightly. That is why you see the ongoing trials.”

“Since the inception of this administration, this is the fourth phase we are undertaking,” Fagbemi added. “The message is that terrorism in any form will not be tolerated or condoned.”

Regarding the number of suspects in the current phase, the AGF said more than 600 terror suspects will be prosecuted. “For this phase, we have about 490 today and 84 tomorrow,” he explained. “The 84 does not include the 102 carried forward from the last phase, so the total for this phase is almost 600.”

He assured that the judges would give the trial full attention. “We have about ten judges devoted to this case alone, and they are not handling any other cases,” he said. “They are speeding up the process without compromising the necessary safeguards and oversight.”

Fagbemi noted that convictions have already been secured in proceedings he has appeared in and that a record will be compiled at the end of the trial. The trial, which began today, is scheduled to continue until Thursday. “By the end of Thursday, we are optimistic that it will have gone very, very fine,” he concluded.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that at least 500 suspected terrorists were also tried between April 7 and April 10 at the Federal High Court in Abuja as part of an intensified effort to tackle insecurity.

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