Nigerian authorities have successfully prosecuted 386 Islamic extremists during mass court proceedings that concluded this week in Abuja, according to the country’s top legal official.
Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi announced Friday that the Federal High Court handled more than 500 cases during the recent legal proceedings, which began Tuesday. The defendants were suspected members of Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
“We brought 508 cases to the court and out of this number, we were able to secure 386 convictions, eight discharges, two acquittals and 112 cases adjourned to the next session or phase,” Fagbemi stated.
The convicted militants received prison terms spanning from five years to life behind bars. Court officials mandated that all those sentenced must participate in rehabilitation and deradicalisation programs designed to help them rejoin society.
These trials represent the latest chapter in legal proceedings that began in 2017, targeting over 2,000 suspected terrorists connected to the violent insurgency that has plagued Nigeria’s northeastern region.
The Boko Haram uprising began in 2009 and has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths while forcing more than 2 million people from their homes, according to humanitarian organizations. The terrorist organization gained worldwide attention in 2014 when they kidnapped hundreds of schoolgirls from Chibok town in Borno state.
Both Boko Haram and its breakaway faction ISWAP aim to create an Islamic state within Nigeria’s borders. Security officials report that both groups have intensified their military attacks throughout this year.
Multiple international organizations oversaw the court proceedings to guarantee fair legal processes, including representatives from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Amnesty International, and the Nigerian Bar Association, court officials confirmed.
Fagbemi indicated that additional trials in this series are scheduled to commence by the end of May.
