Court convicts 125 Boko Haram terrorists, financiers in mass trial

The federal government says 125 Boko Haram terrorists and financiers have been convicted in a mass trial.

The defendants were convicted of charges bordering on terrorism, war crimes, and terrorism financing, among others.

In a statement on Friday, Kamarudeen Ogundele, spokesperson to Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), said the trial took place on Tuesday and Wednesday in Kainji, Niger state.

Ogundele said the mass trial was overseen by five judges of the federal high court — Binta Nyako, Joyce Abdulmalik, Emeka Nwite, Obiora Egwuatu, and Mobolaji Olajuwon.

The AGF spokesperson said the prosecution team was led by Mohammed Babadoko Abubakar, director of public prosecution of the federation, while the defence team was led by Abdulfatai Bakre from the Legal Aid Council.

Ogundele said officials of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) attended the trial.

The court convicted 85 persons for terrorism financing, 22 for International Criminal Court (ICC)-related crimes, and 18 for terrorism.

The defendants were sentenced to various jail terms.

The AGF spokesperson said 400 defendants who have completed their sentence have been moved to Gombe state for the Operation Safe Corridor programme.