Historic mass trial: 125 Boko Haram militants convicted

Justice served: Nigeria’s mass trial convicts 125 Boko Haram militants, highlighting the nation’s commitment to combating extremism.

A group of 125 individuals believed to be Boko Haram Islamist militants and financiers have been found guilty by a Nigerian court for their involvement in various acts deemed as terrorism.

The charges against them, according to the Attorney General’s office, were related to terrorism and implicated offenses such as financing of terrorist actions or rendering material support for acts of terror; furthermore they involved International Criminal Court-related crimes.

Five Federal High Court judges presided over the mass trial held for two days, which took place at a military detention facility located in Kanji of Niger State.

The Boko Haram insurgency, which started in 2009, has resulted in the deaths of numerous individuals and displaced millions more.

The crisis in the northeast of the nation has resulted in a humanitarian disaster and compelled Nigeria’s government to address the conflict.

85 individuals were found guilty of financing terrorism, while 22 were convicted for crimes related to the ICC. The rest of the defendants faced charges for various acts relating to terrorism.

Different jail terms were imposed on them.

Between 2017 and 2018, the last set of mass trials involving Boko Haram suspects resulted in the conviction of 163 individuals, while 887 were acquitted.

More than 270 girls were kidnapped by Boko Haram from a school located in the northeastern town of Chibok back in 2014.

The world was startled by the kidnappings and it led to a worldwide movement called #BringBackOurGirls, which had eminent personalities like Michelle Obama, former First Lady of The United States.

The number of girls who have been liberated or managed to flee stands at over 180, while the whereabouts of the remaining ones remain unknown.

The individuals who have come back to their homes, including some who gave birth during captivity, encounter various challenges in their communities.