The Federal Government has announced that it has secured 1,721 convictions for terrorism and related offences since the commencement of its Mass Trial Programme in October 2017, underscoring what it described as sustained efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s fight against terrorism while ensuring adherence to the rule of law.

The Director of Legal Services at the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Zakari Mijinyawa, disclosed this on Thursday during a joint security briefing in Abuja. He said the programme, coordinated by ONSA in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Judiciary, security agencies and international partners, has successfully completed 10 phases of terrorism trials.

According to Mijinyawa, 865 convictions were secured during the ninth and tenth phases of the programme in 2026, accounting for more than half of the total convictions recorded since the initiative began.

He stressed that the government remains committed to due process and the protection of fundamental human rights, noting that suspects whose guilt could not be established beyond reasonable doubt were discharged or acquitted in line with the principles of fair trial.

Mijinyawa said the Mass Trial Programme has become a key component of Nigeria’s counter-terrorism strategy by ensuring that terrorism-related cases are handled efficiently while maintaining judicial independence and transparency.

Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters disclosed that troops neutralised 1,597 terrorists and other criminal elements, rescued 1,516 kidnapped victims, and conducted more than 14,000 operations across the country between January and June 2026 as security agencies intensified efforts to curb insurgency, banditry and other violent crimes. Visit www.jocomms.com for more news.