•It is good that govt has resumed trial of terrorism suspects

The resumption of trial of the 300 terrorism suspects in Federal Government detention facilities is a welcome development. The lull in their trial, despite several promises by the immediate past Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, had ignited speculations in certain quarters on the sincerity of the Federal Government to bring the suspects to account for their deeds. The trial is reportedly coordinated by the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) Office of the National Security Adviser and the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation.

According to the Head of Strategic Communication, NCTC-ONSA, Abu Michael, the trial of suspected Boko Haram members would be conducted in line with the international criminal justice system. Last December, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, said the Federal Government secured a total of 366 convictions in the trial of Boko Haram terrorists in 2017. He also said 896 suspects were discharged for lack of evidence. Furthermore, in December 2023, the Federal Government secured the conviction of four Boko Haram financiers.

We are hopeful that the 300 suspects would undergo their trial so that justice will be served. To allow their trial to be in limbo is to do grave injustice to their victims and the nation, considering that terrorism has become a multi-dimensional challenge for Nigeria in the past decade and half. Apart from the mayhem on citizens, they prevent economic activities, especially farming from taking place. Also, children are lured into their despicable acts. So, the trial of suspects should be the minimum deterrent by the state.

According to Mr Abu, “The ongoing trial, which is in line with the International Criminal Justice system is being administered by the Federal High Court of Nigeria with the Complex Casework Group of the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, in collaboration with other critical stakeholders under the coordination and supervision of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser.” He reported that the Federal Government appointed five judges to resume the trial of the suspects, “in pursuance of its commitment to promoting social justice by entrenching a transparent administrative system.”

We urge the security agencies to ensure the safety of the judges and the prosecution team. It will be double tragedy if those helping to bring sanity to the country are sacrificed through the inefficiency of the security agencies. Also, those on trial must be secured by the state, through well thought-out preemptive actions. Those in charge must ensure there are no prison-breaks in the correction centres where the suspects are kept. Considering the deadliness of Boko Haram and other terrorist groups fighting to destabilise Nigeria, the suspects must be kept in impregnable security facilities.

There is no gainsaying that the North Eastern states would not regain their old agricultural cluster until terrorism is defeated in the region. And, without the return of farmers to their farmland, terrorism would continue to fester, as idle youths would continue to feed the terrorist mill. Again, where justice is not a just desert to those who take to terrorism, those resisting the allure of the ill-gotten benefits of the crime may be tempted to rethink their position.

So, the Federal Government, through the office of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser and the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation should vigorously pursue the trial of the terrorism suspects to a logical conclusion.

While pursing the trial of the suspects, the states in the region and the Federal Government must also pursue non-kinetic methods to defeat terrorism. The debilitating impact of terrorism is a contributor to the food crisis fuelling protests across the country.

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