The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has disclosed that the Federal Government secured 860 convictions in terrorism-related cases from 2017 to 2025, while 891 suspects were discharged within the same period.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday after a closed-door meeting with a U.S. delegation, Fagbemi emphasised that the high number of acquittals demonstrates Nigeria’s commitment to due process and the rule of law in handling terrorism cases.
“We follow due process. Suspects are profiled; those against whom there is no evidence are released, while those with prima facie cases are prosecuted. The court then decides their fate. The 891 acquittals show that people are not just being detained arbitrarily,” the minister said.
The meeting was with the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, Riley M. Barnes, and the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr.
The American officials declined to speak to the press.Fagbemi described the engagement as part of continuing bilateral discussions on Nigeria’s counter-terrorism strategy, giving the Nigerian government an opportunity “to explain our own side of the story.”
Addressing perceptions about the country’s security challenges, the AGF insisted that terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria are not driven by religion.
“We have security challenges, and government is doing everything possible to address them. It is not a religious problem. Things are not as heinous as they are being portrayed. Yes, we have problems in Nigeria, but it is not a problem of religion,” he stressed.
He revealed that the U.S. delegation had also held talks with other Nigerian institutions, including the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Office of the Chief of Defence Staff.
The Attorney General added that terrorism trials remain ongoing across the country, with the Federal Ministry of Justice continuing to coordinate prosecutions in line with international best practices.
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