44 Bag Jail-terms Over Terrorism Financing as Nigerian Govt Intensifies Crackdown
The Federal Government has sentenced 44 individuals to between 10 and 30 years in prison with hard labour for terrorism and terror financing, in the latest phase of ongoing trials at the Kainji Detention Facility.
The convictions, part of Phase 7 of the terrorism trials, were announced on Saturday in Abuja by Michael Abu, Head of Strategic Communication at the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
According to Abu, 54 suspects were arraigned before four different Federal High Courts during the phase. While 44 were convicted, 10 cases were adjourned.
“With this development, Nigeria has now secured a total of 785 terrorism-related convictions,” he said, describing the outcome as a “bold move to dismantle terror networks and weaken their sources of funding.”
The convicted persons were handed sentences ranging from 10 to 30 years, depending on the gravity of their offences. All were sentenced to hard labour as part of efforts to demonstrate the judiciary’s firm stance against terrorism and its enablers.
Speaking at the official commencement of the trial phase on July 9, National Coordinator of the NCTC, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, who represented the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, said the trials show that Nigeria is committed to justice and the rule of law, even in the face of complex security threats.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), represented by the Director of Public Prosecution, Mohammed Babadoko Abubakar, also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s resolve to ensure due process in counter-terrorism efforts.
“This is not just about punishing crimes—it is about restoring the dignity of victims, securing our communities, and upholding the rule of law,” Abubakar stated.
Abu further disclosed that in Phase 6 of the trials, which preceded this, 237 cases were heard, resulting in 200 convictions. The penalties in that phase ranged from life imprisonment to death sentences and 70-year terms.
Many of the convicted individuals were involved in attacks that led to mass killings, destruction of places of worship, and abductions, particularly in the Gina Kara Kai community in Borno State.
The Kainji trials remain a crucial component of Nigeria’s counter-terrorism strategy, targeting not only the foot soldiers of terror groups but also those who provide them with financial lifelines.
“These trials are not just symbolic—they are a powerful message that no one who enables terror will escape the hand of justice,” Abu said.
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