Suspected 500 Boko Haram members arrested during military operations in the North-East are to face trial soon. They are among the over 1,400, persons arrested and detained at various detention facilities in Maiduguri, Yola and Damaturu, between July and September this year.
The decision on their immediate prosecution was arrived at by the Joint Investigation Team set up by the Defence Headquarters(DHQ) to screen and categorise the detainees.
The measure was aimed at decongesting the detention centres and ensure that necessary actions were
taken to quicken their prosecution and boost the fight against terrorism.
Those recommended for immediate trial include high profile suspects, some of whom were training other terrorists in weapon handling as well as those who confessed to being trained in Mali and other countries for the purpose of insurgency in Nigeria.
Others include a medical doctor, paramilitary or service personnel who were fighting on the side of the terrorists and other individuals who offered direct logistics support to the terrorists group.
The JIT equally proposed that some of the detainees be tried for other offences ranging from armed robbery, murder to drugs-related crimes.
Presenting its report to the Chief of Defence Staff(CDS), Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim yesterday in Abuja, the 19-man team headed by a Brigadier-General, however, recommended the release of 167 detainees from detention while 614 others whose cases were inconclusive, have been recommended for review.
Receiving the report at the Defence Headquarters DHQ, Abuja, yesterday, the CDS commended the team for being thorough in conducting the assignment. He assured them that the recommendations will be treated with dispatch after due consultations with appropriate authorities.
The CDS, while assuring that the military authorities would continue to ensure that due process and highest professional standards were followed in managing the security operations in states under emergency rule, said the DHQ was committed to necessary steps that would ensure justice and fairplay
A statement by the Director, Defence Information(DDI), Brigadier-General Chris Olukolade, said the report has since been forwarded to the Presidency through the Office of National Security Adviser (NSA).
He stated that the NSA was already in consultation with the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) over litigation procedures following consideration of recommendations in the report.
The DHQ had in July 2013 set up the 19-member JIT compricing of senior officers to screen and categorise detainees apprehended during operations in the North-East.
The team which comprised military, police, officials of federal and state Ministries of Justice as well as Immigration, Prisons and Customs officers, was tasked to examine, classify and recommend appropriate actions against detainees in the various detention centres in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states which are under emergency rule.
If the recommendations of the team sails through, the trial of some of the suspects will be held in the states while others may be tried at the federal level by high courts.
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