By Suleiman Anyalewechi
The Federal Government on Monday, June 15, 2026, began a fresh phase of mass prosecution of suspected terrorist elements, with over 600 billed to go on trial.
The mass prosecution which is speared-headed by the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister for Justice Lateef Fagbemi, SAN , saw about 490 suspects arraigned at the Federal High Court Abuja on Monday.
The renewed mass trial is coming on the heels of the death in captivity on Saturday June 13,,2026 of former Defence Information Director , Major General Rabe Abubakar which outraged the Nation.
General Abubakar who was kidnapped alongside his wife on May 30, 2026, died in the abductors’ den after a failed bid to rescue him.
His abductors, just like those behind the kidnap of about Orrile, Oyo State, school children had made the release of their detained colleagues a pre-condition for his freedom.
But reacting to the unfortunate death of General Abubakar on Sunday, President Bola Tinubu vowed that Government will not succumb to the antics of terrorists, including their demands for the release of their incarcerated colleagues.
Speaking during Monday’s mass arraignment, the AGF emphasized that Government will not treat the issue of terrorism with levity.
Fagbemi noted that the mass arraignment of the fresh 490 suspects is an indication that the authorities are not prepared to tolerate any form of terrorism and criminal activities.
He explained that another set of 84 suspects will be charged on Tuesday with another 102 suspects to be brought forward from the previous phase of the mass prosecution conducted in April.
In all, the Minister of Justice informed that a total of 600 suspects will be involved in the present phase of the mass arraignment of terrorists.
According to Fagbemi, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court has put in place a special panel of judges to speedily handle the new cases.
While the AGF and the Federal Director of Public Prosecution, Rotimi Oyedepo are leading others on the side of the Federal Government, the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria will provide legal services to most of the suspects .
The Source reports that about 508 suspects were put on trial during the last phase of the mass prosecution in April, 2026, with about 386 convicts bagging prison terms of up to 20 years.
But unlike the past mass arraignment which took place at a designated military facility in Kainji, Niger State and the present effort is holding in Abuja
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