Wednesday, December 10, 2025 - The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has disclosed that Nigeria has recorded 869 convictions in terrorism related cases since 2017, while 891 suspects were acquitted within the same period. He said the figures demonstrate that the government adheres to due process in the prosecution of terrorism cases and does not detain suspects arbitrarily.
Fagbemi spoke in Abuja on Tuesday, December 9, after a
closed door meeting with United States officials, including the US Assistant
Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, Riley M. Barnes, and
the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr. The US delegation did not
address journalists after the meeting.
“The meeting is a follow up on the one we had about a month
or so ago in Washington,” Fagbemi said. “It is about the issue of terrorism
that is going on in the country, and to afford us the opportunity to explain
our own side of the story. We explained this to them when we visited
Washington. But I am happy that they are also here to see things for
themselves.”
He stressed that Nigeria’s security challenges are not
driven by religion. “And, what is important is to also appraise them that, even
though we have challenges in Nigeria, it is not religious. We have security
challenges, and the government is doing its utmost to ensure that these
challenges are addressed,” he said.
The attorney general explained that the mandate of his
ministry focuses on prosecuting suspects arrested in connection with extremism.
“The one that concerns the Federal Ministry of Justice is about the prosecution
of the people arrested in connection with extremism, and we were able to
explain to them and tell them how far we have gone and what we are also doing,”
he said.
He added that terrorism trials are still ongoing across the
country. “For instance, today, as we speak, terrorism trials are still going
on. I have been there today, and I have taken one or two of the cases. I want
to seize this opportunity to let you know that, as of today that is from 2017
to 2025, we have secured 860 convictions and 891 acquittals, that is,
discharges,” Fagbemi stated.
According to him, the high number of acquittals reflects the
government’s commitment to fair trial standards. “What this speaks to,
particularly, the issue of discharges of the defendants, is that we don’t just
arrest people and then, you know, clamp them into prison. We follow due
process. They are profiled. Those who have nothing to do with it are left off
the hook. Those whom we believe we have cases against, we take them to court.
It is for the court to decide,” he said.
“So, whenever the court takes a decision, we comply or abide
by the decision, and that is why we have both convictions and acquittals,” he
added.
On the broader engagements of the US delegation, Fagbemi
noted that they were meeting with several security institutions and civil
society groups. “I am aware that he is also going to speak later, if not today,
before he leaves Nigeria. We are not the only agency that they are visiting.
They have visited a number of agencies. I am aware, for example, that they
visited the Office of the National Security Adviser. They have visited the
Office of the Chief of Defence Staff and a few other agencies. They have also
met with some civil society organisations and religious bodies,” he said.
Despite international concerns, Fagbemi insisted that the
situation in Nigeria is often misrepresented. “But, I want to tell you that
things are not as heinous as people are portraying. I can assure you of that.
We have problems in Nigeria. It is not a problem of religion,” he said.
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