NEWS
FG Prosecuting 500 Suspected Terrorists in Phase 9 of Mass Trial
The Federal Government has moved forward with the prosecution of 500 suspected terrorists as part of an intensified effort to tackle insecurity
Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, said this on Tuesday.
He spoke with newsmen shortly after he led a team of the Federal Government’s lawyers to the Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja where he appeared as prosecution counsel.
The minister said the 500 defendants were being prosecuted in Phase 9 of the mass trial of suspected terrorists in Abuja.
The mass trial of the suspected terrorists was moved to Abuja from the usual location in Kainji, Niger State.
Fagbemi said the trial, which began on Tuesday, would be concluded between Friday or Saturday.
“For today, we have 227 suspects brought to court on these terrorism charges and they are appearing before 10 judges of the Federal High Court.
”Don’t forget, this is Easter. Ordinarily, the judges are not supposed to be here; they are supposed to be in their various homes to observe the Easter vacation.
“They have been so patriotic and they have prioritised the trial of terrorism suspects to underscore the importance that is attached to this trial. So we thank them.
“This is Phase 9, don’t forget. For Phase 9, we have 500 in all and it will last till either Friday or Saturday.
“It is hoped that from these 500, we will be able to go very very far.
“So, we thank all the critical stakeholders, including of course you, members of the fourth estate of the realm, for considering the service to the nation first and forgoing your Easter period,” he said.
On why the trial was moved from Kainji to Abuja, the minister said it was due to logistic purposes.
“Whether the cases are tried in Kainji or Maiduguri, those to try terrorism suspects are judges of the Federal High Court.
“For logistic purposes, it is not convenient to go to Kainji, , although the same judges would have been ferried to Kainji.
“But it is more convenient here; we have more courtrooms here and the facilities, and for 10 judges at a time, you know what it means. It means a lot.
“That’s why we brought these ones here. We have an enablement in terms of law to sit here and that is why we are sitting here,” he said.
Fagbemi said Amnesty International, tur media, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), members of the human rights community, etc, were in attendance to show that the proceedings were undergoing due process.
According to the minister, nobody will be convicted unless he has satisfied the provisions of thr law.
“And that is why we are here. It is in the open; it is not a secret trial.
“You will see where confessions are made, where proof is given. Everything is in the public glare and you can see things for yourself.
“What has taken the Director General of the Legal Aid Council to also forgo his holiday this period is also appreciated.
“We have the full complement of the Federal Ministry of Justice, especially the Public Prosecution Department ably led by the Director of Public Prosecutions Department of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo,” he said.
The DG, Legal Aid Council, who led the defence team, expressed satisfaction with the trial.
He said the terrorism trial was made a little easier because the majority of the suspects admit to committing the crime.
“This has been our experience over the years and today’s trial is not different. Majority of them admit to committing the crime.
“A large number of them are also being convicted for association with Boko Haram.
“Some of them are not active participants in the Boko Haram or ISWAP activities as the case may be.
“They are being convicted as you are all aware under the law, because association is as grievous as committing an offence.
“Happily, I can say one or two suspects have been discharged and acquitted.
“You can imagine for somebody who has been in detention for four, five years under military custody to be discharged and acquitted, shows that the trial has some levels of transparency,” he said.
Abubakar also said that as defence lawyers, they were given the facility to interact with the suspects before being brought to court.
According to him, it is a prerequisite of the law.
He said pre-trial interviews were conducted for the defendants in Maiduguri and Kainji and his team was able to interact with those who were newly brought in on Monday before Tuesday’s trial.
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) said it has received over 60 applications since launching the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) in January.
The agency disclosed this in a statement issued by its Head of Public Relations, Edward Osagie, on Tuesday in Lagos.
Director-General, Dr.
Dayo Mobereola, assured that the CVFF disbursement process would be transparent and strictly monitored.Mobereola said this followed a sectoral meeting with the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, and the signing of performance bonds by agencies.
He reaffirmed NIMASA’s commitment to accountability, improved performance, and sustained maritime sector growth through its 2026 Sectoral Performance Bond.
“The performance bond is a key governance instrument for tracking deliverables, strengthening accountability, and aligning operations with national priorities,” Mobereola said.
He added that ongoing reforms were driven by purposeful leadership and ministerial support, noting alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
On maritime security, Mobereola said Nigeria recorded zero piracy incidents in territorial waters over the past four years.
He attributed the achievement to enhanced surveillance systems and improved inter-agency collaboration.
Mobereola said NIMASA was at an advanced stage of automating ship registry processes to improve efficiency, reduce delays, and boost global competitiveness.
He noted that Nigeria had deposited three conventions with the International Maritime Organization, with three others awaiting Federal Executive Council approval.
According to him, Nigeria’s election into Category C of the IMO Council in November 2025 restored its voice in global maritime governance.
In his remarks, Oyetola reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to using the maritime sector to drive economic diversification, job creation, and foreign exchange earnings.
“The performance bonds are binding commitments that will be closely monitored. Accountability is not optional,” Oyetola said.
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said it facilitated export of over 500,000 tonnes of petroleum products from Dangote Refinery to African countries in March.
NPA Managing Director, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday by Ikechukwu Onyemekara, General Manager (Corporate Communications and Strategy).
Dantsoho spoke at a stakeholders’ engagement organised by the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in Lagos.
He said in spite of the Middle East conflict affecting global vessel movement, Nigeria remained resilient in supplying petroleum products locally and for export.
He attributed the achievement to the implementation of the One-Stop-Shop (OSS), introduced by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola.
According to him, the OSS ensures all stakeholders operating at the Dangote Refinery align seamlessly in their operations.
“In many countries today, workers operate remotely, while others face energy queues, but Nigeria has not experienced such disruptions.
“As a matter of fact, in the past month, we exported over 500,000 tonnes of petroleum products from Dangote Refinery to African countries.
“The exports are handled by ships, supported by the NPA’s capacity in port and cargo operations,” Dantsoho said.
He said the policies driving the achievement were approved by the minister, including the OSS hosted by the NPA.
“This system operates similarly to the National Single Window, ensuring efficiency and coordination,” he said.
Dantsoho noted that all stakeholders now operate in sync with Dangote Refinery’s distribution framework.
The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has issued new guidelines for the collection, management and administration of the Insurance Policyholders’ Protection Fund (IPPF), to strengthen protection for policyholders in the country.
In a circular dated April 7, 2026, and addressed to all insurance institutions, the commission said the directive was in exercise of its powers under the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act 2025 and other extant laws.
The circular was signed by John Falade, Deputy Director, Special Risk and Security Analysis, NAICOM, on behalf of the Commissioner for Insurance.
NAICOM stated that the guidelines provide a comprehensive regulatory framework to ensure clarity, enhance compliance and streamline the administration of the fund across the insurance sector.
According to the commission, the fund serves as a statutory safety net designed to protect policyholders in the event of distress or insolvency of a licensed insurer or reinsurer.
It added that the guidelines also include provisions for the reimbursement of loans by insurers and reinsurers under the scheme.
The commission directed that IPPF assessment returns for the 2025 financial year must be submitted on or before May 31.
It noted that subsequent submissions would be made in line with Section 4.3 of the guideline on the Insurance Policyholders’ Protection Fund.
NAICOM urged all insurers, reinsurers and other relevant institutions to ensure strict compliance with the new guidelines.
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