Trial of Boko haram suspects: 'We'll follow constitutional provision'

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The Federal Government said it has made tremendous efforts to ensure that the trials of suspected terrorists are conducted with due regard to the provisions of the constitution regarding openness as much as can be permitted in the circumstances.

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) stated this on Monday in Abuja at the commencement of phase IV of the Kainji prosecution project and also promised that terrorism suspects standing trials will be provided adequate opportunities to make their defence.

He said the government will continue to support efforts towards deradicalisation and reintegration of deserving terrorists and urged prosecutors and defence counsel to continue to maintain the highest levels of professional standards in the national assignment.

The AGF said, the primary duty of government is to ensure the security and welfare of its citizens, adding that the resumption of the trial of terrorism suspects, marks another step forward, in the journey towards ensuring the security and safety of Nigeria and Nigerians.

The first phase of the Kainji Prosecution Project commenced in October 2017 with a total of 366 convictions recorded, 896 others discharged for want of sufficient evidence and 61 other cases adjourned for further hearing.

He said, there have been three phases of the exercise so far, spanning between October 2017 and July 2018 and challenged all stakeholders to ensure that the momentum is sustained, seeing how important the assignment is to the wellbeing of the country and her people.

According to the AGF, “Terrorism has cost us a lot as a nation. From the communities directly affected, to the staggering losses in human and material resources, displacements, political and economic instability and the general atmosphere of fear it has created, all point to how crucial this exercise is to our progress and prosperity as a nation.

“Conversely, if the process is mismanaged and, as a result, the security situation is allowed to fester, it may lead to existential crises in the very long run,” he said and pledged his support to the cause.

The AGF acknowledged the various stakeholders who have played vital roles and to varying degrees, towards the success of the initiative.

Worthy of mention, he said, are, the Federal High Court, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Defence Headquarters, Army Headquarters including the GIWA and Wawa Projects in Maiduguri and Kainji, Nigeria Airforce, the Joint Investigation Centre, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, National Human Rights Commission, the British High Commission, the Embassy of the United States of America, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, the Nigerian Bar Association, the media and several other stakeholders.

He said, the synergy so far has proven that “safety and security does not just happen; they are the result of collective consensus and public investment.

“Prosecution is one of the end processes of criminal justice administration and the Federal Ministry of Justice will continue to commit to deploying resources towards the enhancement of its prosecutorial capacities,” he said.

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