Another round of mass trials for alleged terrorists in Abuja was started on Monday by the Federal Government. It was reported that more than 400 of the alleged terrorists would be arraigned concurrently by various judges at the Federal High Court.
Justices Binta Nyako, Emeka Nwite, Musa Liman, James Omotosho, Obiora Egwuatu, and Ekerete Akpan are among the justices presiding over the cases, which are anticipated to last a week.
Lateef Fagbemi, the Attorney General of the Federation, is leading the prosecution, while Aliyu Abubakar, the Director-General of the Legal Aid Council, is leading the defense.
58 suspected terrorists, including Abba Bukar, Abba Manye, Gujja Mala Bukar, Brem Gonimi, Isa Mohammed, Lawali Dashiri Danke, Yau Tukur, also known as Mai-Auduga, and Bello Liman, alias Bell Doctor, were listed for trial before Justice Nwite alone.
The proceedings on Monday are the most recent stage of a federal initiative to prosecute terrorism suspects in large numbers.
In what Fagbemi referred to as phase nine of the mass trial process, at least 500 accused terrorists were tried in Abuja between April 7 and April 10.
The Federal Government's larger plan to reduce the backlog of terrorism cases and expedite justice for crimes connected to armed criminal networks and insurgencies nationwide includes the mass trial effort.