Anti-Terrorism Campaign: Federal Government Convicts 653 Suspects in Massive Judicial Exercise — AGF

​The Federal Government has secured the conviction of 653 terrorism suspects in what officials have described as the largest single phase of mass trials conducted at the Federal High Court.
​The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), made the revelation on Friday, announcing that 1,060 suspects were brought before the court during the 11th phase of the judicial exercise, which ran from October 19 to October 24.
​According to Fagbemi, 880 cases had been adjudicated by Friday afternoon, yielding a high conviction rate alongside a small number of discharges and acquittals.
​Breakdown of Court Verdicts
​Out of the 880 cases heard by Friday afternoon, the court delivered the following outcomes:
​Convictions: 653
​Acquittals: 7
​Discharges: 27
​”This is the third phase this year alone, but generally, it is the 11th phase since the exercise began,” Fagbemi stated. “For this 11th phase, we had 1,060 suspects brought for trial. As of 12:15 p.m. today, about 880 cases have been processed… this appears to be the largest phase since we started.”
​The AGF credited the rapid administration of justice to seamless inter-agency collaboration. He specially commended the panel of judges sitting under the leadership of Justice Binta Nyako, who presided on behalf of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.
​Fagbemi also commended the joint efforts of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Department of State Services (DSS), the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Correctional Service, and defense counsel.
​Legal Defense and Mandatory Deradicalization
​Reaffirming the government’s commitment to due process and fair hearing, the AGF noted that all defendants received legal representation. Members of the private bar joined defense attorneys from the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, visiting detention centers to consult with suspects ahead of court proceedings.
​Furthermore, Fagbemi emphasized that suspects who are discharged or acquitted will not be immediately released into the public without undergoing structured rehabilitation.
​”Deradicalization is an essential aspect of this exercise. There is no way you can be discharged without going through that recommendation,” Fagbemi explained. “There must be a system to ensure individuals reflect on their past actions so that when they return to society, they can reintegrate smoothly and continue their daily lives peacefully.”