Author: Gist Correspondent

The Federal Government has intensified efforts to fast-track the trial of thousands of terrorism suspects as part of a renewed counter-terrorism drive aimed at clearing a growing backlog of cases nationwide.

About 5,000 individuals suspected of involvement in terrorism-related activities are currently being held in pre-trial detention facilities across the country, according to the 2025–2030 Strategic Plan of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC).

The document, obtained on Wednesday, revealed that the high number of detainees has placed considerable strain on the judicial process, prompting coordinated action to accelerate prosecutions and review cases lacking sufficient evidence.

The NCTC disclosed that its legal team, working closely with the Defence Headquarters and the Federal Ministry of Justice, is reviewing case files to determine which matters can be expedited for trial and which should be discontinued.

“At present, there are approximately 5,000 individuals suspected of having been involved in terrorism-related offences who are being held in pre-trial detention,” the document stated, adding that the exercise is intended to either hasten prosecutions or dismiss unsubstantiated charges.

The Centre also noted that it has been coordinating terrorism case hearings conducted by the Federal High Court sitting at the Wawa Military Cantonment in Kainji, Niger State, as well as in Abuja.

According to the strategic plan, the framework yielded significant results in 2024, with 393 terrorism-related cases prosecuted, leading to 329 convictions. This pushed Nigeria’s conviction rate in terrorism cases to 84 per cent, a sharp rise from the 41.5 per cent recorded in 2018.

The NCTC further disclosed that charges against about 1,200 detainees were reviewed and dismissed, resulting in their release from custody and resettlement into their communities.

“In 2024, the support provided to the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Federal High Court enabled the prosecution of 393 new cases, resulting in 329 terrorism-related convictions,” the document said.

As part of broader reforms, the Federal Government is also planning to introduce DNA profiling into a proposed National Database on Terrorism to strengthen investigations, prosecutions and intelligence-sharing.

The database, to be domiciled within the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), will serve as a central repository of information on known and suspected terrorists. It will include biometric data, DNA profiles where available, details of terrorist operations and intelligence reports.

The NCTC explained that Nigeria currently lacks a unified national terrorism database accessible to all agencies involved in counter-terrorism efforts, a gap identified under the National Counter-Terrorism Strategy (NACTEST).

Information for the database will be sourced from correctional and detention facilities, law enforcement agencies, security partners and intelligence units.

Beyond prosecutions, the strategic plan also highlighted the role of the NCTC’s National Operations Centre, a technology-driven hub that provides real-time intelligence, situational awareness and command-and-control support during major security incidents.

Analysts say the planned deployment of DNA profiling could significantly strengthen Nigeria’s counter-terrorism architecture by helping to identify repeat offenders, track foreign terrorist fighters and dismantle networks operating across regions.