The Federal Government has secured 386 convictions out of 508 terrorism-related cases prosecuted at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court in the ninth phase of its mass terrorism trials, with convicted defendants mainly Boko Haram members receiving sentences ranging from five years to life imprisonment based on the gravity of the charges and their open court confessions.
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Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, disclosed the outcome to journalists at the conclusion of the four-day exercise on Friday, describing the results as a clear signal that Nigeria has no space for terrorism and its financing.
The proceedings, which ran from Tuesday, April 7, to Friday, April 10, 2026, saw 10 judges of the Federal High Court sit as special courts during the Easter vacation period a demonstration of what the AGF described as exceptional patriotism and dedication to the fight against terrorism.
Of the 508 defendants arraigned during the ninth phase, 386 were convicted and sentenced to various jail terms. Eight defendants were discharged, two were acquitted, and 112 cases were adjourned to the next phase of proceedings.
“Well, in total, we brought about 508 cases. Of these 508, we were able to secure 386 convictions. Eight discharges, two acquittals and 112 adjourned to the next session or phase,” Fagbemi stated.
The 10th phase of the mass trial has been scheduled for June 15 to 18, 2026, when the remaining 112 suspects whose cases could not be completed will be arraigned alongside others.
Fagbemi emphasised that the inclusion of discharges and acquittals in the results demonstrated the government’s adherence to due process and the rule of law — a point clearly intended to address criticisms from human rights organisations about the fairness of mass trial proceedings.
“The fact that you have discharges and acquittals speaks to the fact that we have been following due process. Anybody who is not guilty will not be sent to jail,” the AGF stated.
He added that bringing the suspects to court rather than detaining them indefinitely reflected the government’s respect for the judiciary’s constitutional oversight role.
“The fact that we brought them to court also speaks to the fact that they recognise the oversight function of the judiciary, and this is what has taken place,” Fagbemi stated.
The AGF framed the mass convictions as a deterrent message to terrorists and their financiers.
“The type of punishment that the judges dished out is to send a clear signal to people involved in terrorism and terrorism-financing that there is no space for them here in Nigeria,” Fagbemi declared.
“We cannot stop them from going elsewhere. But as far as the Nigerian space is concerned, there is no space. We will not be able to accommodate them. We have been able to bring them to justice,” he added.
Beyond sentencing, the courts also ordered rehabilitation and de-radicalisation for convicted persons as part of a broader strategy that combines punishment with reformation and reintegration.
“Part of the consequential order made by judges after the sentencing is that they should go for rehabilitation and de-radicalisation,” Fagbemi disclosed.
He said the approach reflects the government’s objective of ensuring that punishment also facilitates the reformation of offenders.
“This speaks to the effort of government to ensure that the purpose of punishment is also to make offenders turn a new leaf and jettison terrorism,” the AGF stated.
The AGF commended the 10 Federal High Court judges who sat during the Easter vacation period, a time ordinarily reserved for rest and personal travel, to conduct the mass trials.
“These are not normal times. They are supposed to use this week, in particular, to be at home resting if they cannot travel. But they have shown great patriotism in answering the clarion call,” Fagbemi stated.
He specifically thanked the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, and the head of the 10-member trial team, Justice Binta Nyako, for their commitment and leadership.
“I also want to seize this opportunity once again to thank the Federal High Court under the able leadership of the Chief Judge and the leader of the 10-member team. They have done very well, and we are grateful to them for their patriotism,” the AGF stated.
Fagbemi disclosed that the proceedings were conducted transparently, with the participation of key stakeholders including representatives of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Amnesty International, the Nigerian Bar Association, the National Human Rights Commission, and other civil society organisations.
“I’m satisfied, and that’s why it’s taking place in the full glare of the public. All the representatives of critical stakeholders are here. We have people from the UNODC, you the press, you are here, and you can speak to how the proceedings were conducted,” Fagbemi stated.
The presence of international observers was evidently designed to lend credibility to the process and preempt criticism about the fairness of mass trials a practice that has attracted scrutiny from human rights organisations in the past over concerns about whether defendants receive adequate legal representation, whether confessions are voluntary, and whether the compressed timeline allows for proper adjudication of each case.
The ninth phase completed on Friday represents a continuation of a programme that has seen hundreds of terrorism suspects tried in batches before specially constituted panels of the Federal High Court.
The mass trial programme was initiated as a response to the challenge of processing the large number of terrorism suspects held in military and security detention facilities across the country, many of whom had been detained for years without trial.
The programme has been credited with reducing the backlog of untried terrorism suspects and providing a judicial process for cases that might otherwise have remained in indefinite administrative detention.
However, critics have questioned whether the compressed trial format with hundreds of cases processed in four-day sessions allows sufficient time for the individual examination of each case, particularly given the gravity of the charges and the severity of the potential sentences.
The mass convictions come at a time when Nigeria continues to grapple with terrorism and insurgency, particularly in the Northeast where Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province remain active threats. Recent attacks in Borno State, including coordinated assaults on Ngoshe and Pulka in Gwoza Local Government Area, have demonstrated that the insurgency remains a potent threat despite military operations and judicial proceedings.
The March 16 suicide bombings in Maiduguri that killed 23 people and injured over 100 further underscored the ongoing nature of the threat, prompting the government to direct security chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri.
The AGF’s description of the sentences as a deterrent signal suggests the government views the judicial process as complementary to military operations in the fight against terrorism with the courts providing the legal framework for punishing those captured by security forces while sending a message to potential recruits and financiers.
The 10th phase of the mass trial is scheduled for June 15-18, 2026, when the 112 adjourned cases will be heard alongside new cases. The cycle of trials is expected to continue as security forces continue to arrest and transfer terrorism suspects for prosecution.
The rehabilitation and de-radicalisation orders accompanying the convictions will also require implementation, raising questions about the capacity and readiness of Nigeria’s correctional and rehabilitation facilities to handle the growing number of convicted terrorism offenders.
The AGF thanked the media for covering the proceedings, emphasising the importance of public awareness in the fight against terrorism.
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