Nigeria Convicts 386 in Boko Haram Mass Trial

In a landmark mass trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria secured convictions against 386 individuals accused of terrorism links to Boko Haram and its splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province, officials announced Friday. The four-day proceedings, which began Tuesday, marked the ninth phase of efforts to address a backlog of cases dating back to 2017 involving more than 2,000 defendants.

Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi reported that out of 508 cases presented, the court issued 386 convictions, eight discharges, two acquittals, and adjourned 112 for the next session. Sentences ranged from five years to life imprisonment, depending on the severity of charges, with judges requiring convicted individuals to participate in rehabilitation and deradicalization programs to aid societal reintegration. The trials, overseen by 10 judges who worked through the Easter holiday, were monitored by international observers including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Amnesty International, the Nigerian Bar Association, the National Human Rights Commission, and civil society organizations to ensure transparency and due process.