Nigeria secured convictions for 44 out of 54 individuals recently arraigned in Phase 7 of the Kainji Detention Facility Terrorism Trial.
Head of Strategic Communication, National Counter Terrorism Centre-Office of the National Security Adviser (NCTC-ONSA), Michael Abu disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, July 12, 2025.
Abu said the remaining 10 cases were adjourned during proceedings held across four courts, presided over by four Federal High Court justices.
He said the country had, with the recent 44 convictions, won a total of 785 cases involving terrorism financing and other terrorism-related offences.
This, according to him, reflects the country’s intensified efforts to combat violent extremism, dismantle funding networks, and strengthen national security through judicial enforcement.
Abu said: “The verdicts delivered from the trials resulted in prison sentences ranging from 10 to 30 years, all to be served with hard labour, underscoring the severity of the crimes and the Nigerian justice system’s resolve to uphold accountability and deter future transgressions.
“The trials commenced on Wednesday, July 9, with an opening ceremony during which the National Coordinator of NCTC -ONSA, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka delivered remarks on behalf of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
“The Attorney General of the Federation and Honourable Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), was represented by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mohammed Babadoko Abubakar.
“Both officials reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to justice and its determination to confront terrorism through lawful and transparent means.”
Abu said that 237 cases were heard, resulting in 200 convictions in the Phase 6 trials, adding that the convicted terrorists received a range of sentences based on the severity of their crimes, from the death penalty and life imprisonment to prison terms of 20 years to 70 years.
He said their offences included heinous acts such as attacks on women and children, destruction of religious sites, killing of civilians, and abduction of women and children during a brutal assault on the Gina Kara Kai community in Borno State.
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