A Federal High Court in Borno has issued an order for the release of 313 individuals suspected of terrorist activities, who were apprehended by the military.
The court’s decision came after a thorough examination of the evidence presented against the suspects, revealing insufficient grounds for their continued detention.
During a briefing on military operations across the country, Maj. Gen. Buba Edward, the Director of Defence Media Operations, confirmed the court’s ruling and assured compliance with the directive to release the detainees to the Borno State government.
Maj. Gen. Edward stated, “A total of 313 suspects in detention for terrorism-related offences were slated for release to the Borno State government following a court order from the Federal High Court in Maiduguri. The court, after reviewing the evidence and concluding its investigation, ordered their release due to lack of substantial evidence.”
These developments highlight ongoing challenges in prosecuting terrorism cases, with Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), previously acknowledging the complexities of such prosecutions.
Fagbemi reported that out of 1,323 suspects prosecuted for terrorism, only 366 resulted in convictions, while 896 were discharged due to insufficient evidence.
