FG Begins Fresh Mass Trial of Suspected Terrorists in Abuja

By Atlantic Reports

The Federal Government on Thursday commenced a fresh phase of the mass trial of suspected terrorists at the Federal High Court in Abuja, as part of efforts to clear the backlog of terrorism-related cases and accelerate the administration of justice.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exercise forms part of the government’s broader strategy to prosecute alleged offences linked to insurgency and armed criminal networks across the country.

The trials, which are usually held in Kainji, Niger State, were transferred to the Federal High Court in Abuja for the latest proceedings. The exercise is expected to last several days.

Among the judges handling the cases are Justices Binta Nyako, James Omotosho, Salim Ibrahim, Emeka Nwite, Obiora Egwuatu, Hauwa Yilwa, Joyce Abdulmalik and Peter Lifu.

Dozens of Defendants Listed for Proceedings

According to NAN, no fewer than 34 suspected terrorists were listed on Justice Salim Ibrahim’s cause list for Thursday’s proceedings, while 25 defendants were scheduled to appear before Justice Peter Lifu.

The defendants listed for proceedings before Justice Ibrahim included Isah Ismail, Alai Goni, Bulama Lawal, Garba Ibrahim, Mallam Modu Abba Kichi, Lawal Alhaji Mamman and Usman Abubakar, among others.

The listings indicate the scale of the proceedings, although the number of defendants scheduled to appear does not, by itself, establish how many cases were heard or concluded on the day.

Government, Legal Aid Teams Lead Proceedings

The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, led the team of government lawyers during Thursday’s proceedings.

Although the Attorney-General of the Federation usually leads the Federal Government’s legal team, Oyedepo represented the prosecution at the time of the report.

On the defence side, the Director-General of the Legal Aid Council, Aliyu Abubakar, led the team of lawyers representing the defendants.

NAN also reported a heavy security presence in and around the court during the proceedings.

Previous Phase Recorded More Than 500 Trials

The latest exercise follows an earlier phase in which at least 500 alleged terrorists were tried in Abuja between April 7 and April 10.

NAN reports that the Attorney-General of the Federation described that exercise as the ninth phase of the mass trial programme.

The Federal Government launched the programme in October 2017 to accelerate the prosecution of terrorism-related cases. According to NAN, the government has secured 1,721 convictions through the initiative.

The latest phase underscores the continuing scale of terrorism-related litigation in Nigeria and the challenge of processing a substantial number of cases within the justice system.

As the proceedings continue, the distinction between allegations, charges and convictions remains essential. The defendants facing trial are presumed innocent unless and until their guilt is established by a court of competent jurisdiction.

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