The United States has praised Nigeria for securing 386 convictions in terrorism-related cases, describing the outcome as a major step toward justice and accountability in the fight against extremism.
The commendation came from Massad Boulos, the U.S. Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs, in a statement shared on Sunday. He applauded the Nigerian government’s efforts to speed up long-delayed terrorism trials.
“The United States commends the Nigerian government for its strong commitment to expediting trials addressing terrorism and related crimes. We welcome the convictions of 386 Islamist militants… and recognise this as an important step toward accountability and justice,” the statement said.
The U.S. also emphasised the importance of transparency in the judicial process, noting that timely and open trials are essential for tackling extremism and building public confidence in the justice system.
The recognition follows an announcement by Nigeria’s Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, who revealed that 386 convictions were secured out of 508 terrorism-related cases handled at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
According to him, eight suspects were discharged, two were acquitted, while 112 cases were adjourned to the next phase of hearings. He added that the trials, which ran from April 7 to April 10, involved over 500 suspects and were handled by 10 judges, despite the Easter vacation period.
Fagbemi noted that the mix of convictions, acquittals, and discharges reflects the government’s commitment to due process and the rule of law. He also confirmed that the next phase of the trials is scheduled to hold between June 15 and June 18.
The latest development comes amid continued global attention on Nigeria’s security situation, with authorities insisting that ongoing legal and security measures are aimed at strengthening stability and protecting citizens across the country.
