Nigeria Records 2,512 Terrorism Convictions After 11 Trial Phases
The Federal Government of Nigeria has secured a cumulative total of 2,512 convictions in terrorism-related cases following the conclusion of the 11th phase of terrorism trials at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The milestone was announced by Maj. Gen. Adamu Laka, the National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre under the Office of the National Security Adviser, during a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday.
The briefing marked the close of the latest phase of trials, which was held between October 15 and 17 and October 22 and 24, 2026. According to Laka, the 11th phase produced 791 additional convictions, raising the cumulative figure across all 11 phases to 2,512.
Breakdown of Cases and Judicial Outcomes
Across the latest phase, a total of 1,069 cases were handled in 10 courts of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja. The outcomes were varied: 791 convictions, seven acquittals, 41 discharges, four cases struck out, three withdrawn, 211 adjourned, 11 pending, and one classified under another category.
Laka provided context for the cumulative figures, noting that the first 10 phases had resulted in 1,721 convictions before the 11th phase added a further 791. “Prior to this phase, the first 10 phases had resulted in a cumulative total of 1,721 convictions,” he said. “During the 11th phase, an additional 791 convictions were recorded, bringing the cumulative number of convictions across all 11 phases to 2,512.”
Death Sentence for Boko Haram Member
Among the most significant outcomes of the phase was the conviction and death sentence imposed on Suleiman Abu, a Boko Haram member, for belonging to the terrorist group and participating in attacks on military facilities and civilians that resulted in deaths and serious injuries.
Laka said the judgment demonstrated the commitment of Nigeria’s justice system to holding perpetrators of terrorism accountable. “The judgment shows the seriousness with which Nigeria’s justice system addresses terrorism and affirms that perpetrators, regardless of affiliation, are accountable under the law when criminal responsibility is established beyond reasonable doubt,” he stated.
Targeting Terrorism Financing Networks
The latest phase also addressed the financial networks sustaining terrorism, with 201 terrorism-financing cases handled by the courts. Laka described the disruption of such networks as essential to Nigeria’s counter-terrorism strategy, noting that they provided resources for weapons, movement, recruitment, operational structures, and attacks.
“Accountability extends beyond direct perpetrators to persons who knowingly finance, facilitate or otherwise support terrorism,” he said.
Justice Over Convictions at All Costs
The coordinator stressed that the government’s counter-terrorism efforts are not driven by a desire to secure convictions at all costs, but by the need to ensure justice and respect the rights of defendants. He explained that convictions, acquittals, discharges, and other judicial outcomes all form part of a credible justice system.
“Prosecution must ensure justice in every case: guilt must be established beyond reasonable doubt, and where the prosecution fails to prove an offence, defendants’ rights must be respected and appropriate judicial orders implemented,” Laka said.
Compensation for Rights Violations
Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), the Director of Public Prosecutions, said the Federal Government would ensure that defendants whose rights had been violated received compensation in accordance with the law. He noted that the Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to everyone, including persons accused of committing serious crimes.
“Government must act in accordance with the law. If you check Chapter Four of the Constitution, that gives rights to everyone of us, even the most hardened criminal. Those provisions or principles must be respected,” Oyedepo said.
He explained that defendants who believed their rights had been infringed could approach the court for appropriate remedies, including damages and an apology. He added that the government would ensure that legal advice recommending the release of defendants was implemented.
“Every one of those cases, deliberate decisions or steps have been taken to ensure that our legal advice recommending their release is not only just a word on paper, but we follow it through to ensure that they are implemented,” he said.
Oyedepo, however, warned against attempts by individuals to exploit alleged rights violations to obtain money from the government, insisting that only genuine claims would attract compensation. “We will not allow that also to happen. But we will ensure that those who are genuine, who have genuine cases, will be compensated in line with the Constitution,” he added.
Background of Nigeria’s Mass Terrorism Trials
Nigeria commenced mass trials of suspected terrorists in October 2017, with the first phase held at the Wawa Military Cantonment in Kainji, Niger State. The second phase began on February 12, 2018, at the same facility, following the conclusion of investigations into more than 1,000 suspects.
