As part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to clear the backlog of terrorism cases and accelerate justice for offences linked to insurgency and armed criminal networks across the country, the government on Thursday, 15 October, 2025 commenced a fresh phase of mass trial of suspected terrorists.
The trial, which usually holds in Kainji in Niger, was transferred to the Federal Court in Abuja as security was beefed-up at the court premises.
The trial, it was gathered, is expected to last for few days.
Some of the trial judges are Justice Binta Nyako, Justice James Omotosho, Justice Salim Ibrahim, Justice Emeka Nwite, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, Justice Hauwa Yilwa, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, Justice Peter Lifu, among others.
At least, 34 suspected terrorists were on Justice Ibrahim’s cause list for Thursday’s proceedings, while 25 defendants were listed on Justice Lifu’s court.
Some of the names listed for arraignment before Justice Ibrahim are Isah Ismail, Alai Goni, Bulama Lawal, Garba Ibrahim, Mallam Modu Abba Kichi, Lawal Alhaji Mamman and Usman Abubakar.
Although the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, usually leads the Federal Government’s team, as at the time of this report, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, led the team of the government’s lawyers for the proceedings.
On the part of the defence, Aliyu Abubakar, the Director General, Legal Aid Council, led the team of lawyers for the suspected terrorists.
Meanwhile, in the previous phase, no fewer than 500 alleged terrorists were tried between April 7 and April 10 in Abuja, in what the AGF described as phase nine of the mass trial exercise.
Source: NAN
