Nigeria puts hundreds more people on trial in crackdown on militancy

By Camillus Eboh

ABUJA, June 16 (Reuters) – Nigeria has put hundreds more suspected Islamist militants on trial in its ​latest round of mass prosecutions, as ‌authorities step up efforts to tackle a long-running insurgency, Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi said on Tuesday.

Africa’s top oil producer is grappling with a 17-year ‌insurgency ​led by Boko Haram ⁠and Islamic State ⁠West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the country’s northeast. The conflict has killed thousands and displaced at least 2 million people, aid ​groups say.

Eighty-four suspects are due in court on Tuesday, joining about 490 ⁠already on trial since ⁠Monday at a federal court ​in Abuja, Fagbemi said. Another 102 cases ​have been carried over from a previous ‌trial.

“The message is to let everybody know that terrorism in whatever shape or form is not to be condoned ⁠or tolerated,” Fagbemi said.

Proceedings this week mark the fourth phase of terrorism trials under President Bola ⁠Tinubu. ‌Over the past decade, mass ⁠trials have become a key part ​of ‌the Nigerian government’s strategy to ​counter militancy.

Authorities ⁠said 386 suspected Islamist militants were convicted in April, with sentences ranging from five years to life imprisonment.

(Reporting by Camillus Eboh; Writing by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo; Editing by ​Aidan Lewis)