FG moves to fast-track trial of 5,000 terror suspects

About 5,000 individuals suspected of terrorism-related offences are currently in pre-trial detention across Nigeria, creating a major backlog of cases, according to the 2025–2030 Strategic Plan of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC).

The NCTC said its legal team, working with the Defence Headquarters and the Federal Ministry of Justice, is reviewing case files to accelerate prosecutions or drop charges lacking sufficient evidence.

Courts sitting in Wawa Military Cantonment, Niger State, and Abuja are handling many of the cases.

In 2024, 393 terrorism-related cases were prosecuted, leading to 329 convictions and pushing Nigeria’s conviction rate to 84 per cent, up from 41.5 per cent in 2018.

Charges against about 1,200 detainees were dismissed, resulting in their release and resettlement.

The strategic plan also proposes a National Database on Terrorism, to be housed in the Office of the National Security Adviser, which will include biometric data and DNA profiling to strengthen investigations, prosecutions and intelligence-sharing.

Meanwhile, the military says notorious bandit leader Bello Turji is under intense pressure and on the run.

The Theatre Commander of Operation Fansan Yamma, Major General Warrah Idris, said Turji and other bandit leaders are being actively pursued through coordinated ground operations and intelligence-driven surveillance.

In a related development, the Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of suspects linked to Turji for failing to appear in court. Turji and two others remain at large.

On funding, security agencies are projected to spend N204.51bn on operations in 2026, according to the 2026 Appropriation Bill.

The allocation includes N100bn for military operations, N50bn for the police, N30bn for the DSS, N15bn for the NSCDC and N9.51bn for the Office of the National Security Adviser.