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Nigerian courts convict 125 Boko Haram members in mass terrorism trial

Nigerian courts Boko Haram
Boko Haram insurgency Credits: VOA
Nigerian courts convicted 125 Boko Haram affiliates, including militants and financiers, of multiple terrorism-related crimes this week, according to the attorney-general’s office.

Since its onset in 2009, the Boko Haram insurgency has resulted in the deaths of thousands and displaced millions, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis in northeastern Nigeria.

This ongoing conflict has intensified pressure on the government to find a resolution and end the violence.

Late on Friday, Kamarudeen Ogundele, spokesman for the Attorney-General’s office, announced that “the convictions were for charges including terrorism, financing terrorism, providing material support, and offenses under International Criminal Court (ICC) jurisdiction.”

The previous mass trials for Boko Haram suspects were held between 2017 and 2018. During this period, 163 individuals were sentenced of various offenses, while 887 others were released.

Ogundele reported that, from previous convictions, 400 defendants who had completed their sentences were transferred to the Operation Safe Corridor rehabilitation center in Gombe State, located in northeastern Nigeria.

This facility is designed to aid in the rehabilitation and deradicalization of former militants.

At Operation Safe Corridor, these individuals will undergo a comprehensive program aimed at reintegrating them into society.

The process includes psychological support, vocational training, and community integration efforts to help them transition back into civilian life.

In April 2014, Boko Haram abducted more than 270 girls from a school in the northeastern town of Chibok. This incident provoked widespread outrage and led to the global “#BringBackOurGirls” campaign.

Although over half of the girls have since been freed, many returned as mothers of several children.

The latest convictions included 85 individuals found guilty of financing terrorism, 22 convicted for crimes under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the rest for various acts of terrorism.

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