The Federal Government has presented 1,060 terrorism suspects before the Federal High Court in Abuja in the 11th phase of mass trials which began on Thursday.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) said 653 suspects had been convicted as at midday Friday.
Reviewing the progress of the trials on Friday, Fagbemi said 880 cases had been tried by noon, with 653 convictions, seven acquittals and 27 discharges.
He said the exercise was ongoing and that the final figures would be announced upon its conclusion, adding that the 11th phase is the largest since the FG commenced the mass trial of terror suspects.
He attributed the progress to the cooperation of the Judiciary, effective prosecution and inter-agency collaboration.
He expressed appreciation to the judges involved in the exercise, particularly under the leadership of Justice Binta Nyako, who has been acting on behalf of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho.
He also lauded prosecution and defence counsel, as well as relevant security and justice institutions, for their contributions to the exercise.
Among the agencies acknowledged were the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Department of State Services (DSS), the military, the police, correctional centres and the Legal Aid Council.
According to him, the collaboration among the institutions has been critical to advancing the prosecution of terrorism, terrorism financing and related offences in the country.
On the representation of defendants by lawyers from the Legal Aid Council, the AGF explained that the council was fulfilling its responsibility of providing legal assistance to eligible defendants and clarified, however, that private legal practitioners were also representing some of the suspects.
According to him, defence lawyers had been engaging with their clients before the court proceedings, including visiting detention facilities and preparing them for their defence. He noted that some of these preparatory activities could not be subjected to public scrutiny because of the sensitive security considerations surrounding the cases.
Speaking on f deradicalisation for suspects recommended by the court, Fagbemi said the process remained an important component of the overall exercise, explaining that deradicalisation was intended to help eligible individuals understand and regret their actions, enabling them to reintegrate into society and resume their daily lives.
He maintained that rehabilitation and reintegration were necessary to complement the judicial process and reduce the risk of individuals returning to extremist activities.
