The Federal Government, on Tuesday, commenced the mass trial of suspected terrorists at the Federal High Court in Abuja, marking a significant shift from the usual single venue in Kainji, Niger State.
The proceedings, which involved multiple defendants facing terrorism-related charges, were relocated to Abuja due to the court’s ongoing Easter vacation.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the vacation, which began on April 7, will run through April 13, with regular court sittings expected to resume across all divisions on April 14.
Despite the holiday period, no fewer than 13 courtrooms at the Abuja division of the Federal High Court have been designated to handle the surge in terrorism cases, underscoring the scale and urgency of the trials.
The legal team for the prosecution is being led by the Director General of the Legal Aid Council, Aliyu Abubakar, who appeared before Justice Binta Nyako alongside other counsels to prosecute about 20 suspects.
Those listed in the court’s cause list included Hamat Modu, Isah Ali, Awal Bello, Shehu Bukar, Alhaji Kulle, Mohammed Abacha Hassan, Aminami Mallum, Tasiu Yakubu, and Abdullahi Ali, among others.
Security was visibly heightened around the court, with armed personnel deployed across strategic points. All access roads leading to the Federal High Court were cordoned off, while police helicopters maintained aerial surveillance over the Central Business District in the nation’s capital city.
