….says 860 terrorists convicted in 8 years, 891 suspects freed
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA– A United States delegation currently on a fact-finding mission in the country, on Tuesday, paid a visit to the Headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja, where they held a closed-door with the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.
Though the meeting held in camera, however, the AGF confirmed to newsmen that the discussion centered on the issue of insecurity in the country.
According to him, though the federal government had earlier made presentations in Washington to explain the security situation in Nigeria, he said the instant meeting provided another opportunity for further clarifications.
The meeting was “about the terrorism going on in the country,” and “to afford us the opportunity to explain our own side of the story,” the AGF added.
He said: “We have explained this to them when we visited washington, but I am happy that they are also here to see things for themselves.
“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.
“The one that concerns the Federal Ministry of Justice is about the prosecution of the people arrested in connection with these extremism and extremism.”
The AGF, who confirmed the prosecution of some of the apprehended terror suspects, disclosed that about 860 of them were convicted in the last eight years.
“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.
“What this speaks to, particularly the issue of discharges of the defendants, is that you 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, they are left off the hook. Those who we believe that we have cases against them, we take them to court. It is for the court to decide.
“So, whenever the court takes a decision, we comply or abide by the decision. And that is why you have both convictions and acquittals.”
Asked to provide an insight into some of the questions the US delegation posed to him, the AGF, said he was aware that the delegation would speak before they depart from 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 Chief of Defense Staff and a few other agencies. They have also met with some Civil Society Organizations and religious bodies
“But what I want to tell you is that things are not as heinous as people are portraying. I can assure you of that one. We have problems in Nigeria. It is not a problem of religion,” he added.
In the delegation that visited the AGF included the US Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, Riley M. Barnes, as well as the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr.
Equally in the meeting, on the part of the FG, was the Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Beatrice Jeddy-Agba.
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