The Federal Government has said that it prosecuted and convicted 226 terrorism suspects between 9th – 13th December 2024.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), disclosed this on Thursday, at a special engagement session organized to update Nigerians and stakeholders on measures and achievements of the Federal Ministry of Justice and its Agencies in the area of advancing the administration of criminal justice, from October 2024 to date.
He hinted that in terms of extradition, the Justice Ministry successfully extradited two fugitives: Hassan Bun Hussein Abolore Lawal in January 2025 and Okechukwu Josiah Odunna in March, 2025; to the United States of America.
According to him, the Ministry is cooperating with the Qatari authorities for the extradition of one Benjamin Nnanyereugo a.k.a Killaboi from Qatar back to Nigeria in April, 2025, to face murder charges for the unlawful killing of his girlfriend, Augusta.
“Nigeria is also working with the Finish authorities for the extradition of Simon Ekpa to face prosecution for offences committed against national security and sovereignty” Fagbemi stated.
He disclosed that Ekpa is presently facing prosecution in Finland, stressing that once his case is over, the process of his extradition from Finland to Nigeria will be completed.
According to the AGF, the Ministry among other achievements, also recorded gains in asset recovery and management.
“Of significance is the gazetting of the Proceeds of Crime Regulations, 2024 to provide a standardized automated asset forfeiture management system as well as the development of the National Database on Asset Recovery and Management to ensure transparency in the asset recovery and management process.
“On our assets recovery efforts, I am pleased to inform that Nigeria executed an Asset Sharing Agreement with the United States of America on 10th January 2025, which led to the repatriation of the Galactica Assets in the sum of fifty-two million, eight hundred and eighty-two thousand, eighteen United States Dollars and ninety-five cents ($52,882,018.95) from the USA.
“Out of the recovered sum, US$50 million would be deployed to funding the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up (DARES) Project which is an initiative of the Federal Government to provide electricity access to 17.5 million Nigerians, while the remaining sum of US$2.88 million will be deployed to counter-terrorism capacity building for Criminal Justice Sector practitioners” the AGF assured.
He pledged to address challenges militating against the full implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, and other similar legislations essential for promoting access to criminal justice for all Nigerians.
He stated the Ministry and its agencies whose mandates involve access to criminal justice both for the victim, the accused, and ultimately, the State, have worked to improve prosecution of offences in the country.
“These achievements came about as a result of extant policies and actions targeted at improving the capacity of our prosecutors, increasing synergy amongst prosecuting agencies, developing appropriate policy framework in collaboration with office of the NSA and other law enforcement or security agencies” the AGF said.
He said the Ministry’s capacity development efforts were conducted in key areas of general investigation and prosecution strategy, cyber security, forensic analysis and electronic evidence, financial investigation and prosecution, energy related offences, piracy and other maritime offences, including sexual and gender based violence.
