Terrorism Convictions: Matters Arising

The recent gale of convictions of some individuals for terrorism-related offences is indeed a welcome development as the country battles the spate of acts of terrorism. Moments like this bring reprieve to a population that is grappling with despair as a result of the activities of criminal elements among us.

The Department of State Services (DSS) has secured three convictions within a short span. The first being the perpetrators of the 2022 Owo Church massacre that left scores dead and several hundred wounded. The four suspects arrested and arraigned in court were convicted and sentenced to death by hanging for their roles in the June 5, 2022, attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.

Most recently, a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced two relatives of slain bandit kingpin, Kachallah Ibrahim Battujo, to 20 years imprisonment each for aiding terrorism and concealing information about his activities. This is another strong commitment to ensuring that those who act as accessories to crime receive the same punishment as those who committed the crime. As a newspaper, we find these two cases not only encouraging, but also represent a burgeoning era that Nigerians have desired for a long time.

As a newspaper, we have advocated for a quick dispensation of justice, especially in terrorism-related offences, to serve as a deterrent to others and also to build trust in the people regarding the efforts of the government toward tackling terrorism-related offences against the people. This newspaper holds the position that the framework of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, provides a conducive environment for terrorism-related offences to be easily dispensed.

We are persuaded to acknowledge that the recent convictions would indeed set a precedent for terrorism-related offences in the country. This is a welcome development and a departure from the era where terrorism-related cases before the courts were dragged out unnecessarily. A good example of such is the trial of Kabiru Sokoto, a high-ranking commander of the Boko Haram sect responsible for the Christmas Day bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Madalla, Niger State, on December 25, 2011.

The Kabiru Sokoto case lasted six years before he was eventually sentenced, but not without legal bottlenecks; the Court of Appeal in 2018 finally upheld the life imprisonment sentence passed by the Federal High Court in 2013. In juxtaposition with the June 5, 2022, attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, which lasted under four years before judgement was passed, this indicates that there is an improvement, with a tendency to get better in the coming years if the relevant authorities show adequate commitment to prosecuting terrorism-related cases with adequate evidence.

We also believe that while these recent convictions are commendable, efforts should be made to ensure they serve as the new baseline for terrorism-related cases in the country. For the war against terror to be holistic, the federal government, the judiciary, and intelligence and investigative agencies must deepen their collaboration. And of course, the emphasis shouldnot be only on those who perpetrated the crimes. The state must also go after terrorism financiers, as their actions are as condemnable as those of the foot soldiers who carried out the terrorist act.

To gain some traction in this regard, the activities of Bureau de Change (BDC) operators must be looked into critically by agencies like the DSS. It is no longer news that the operations of BDCs in the country have raised severe national security concerns. The revocation of 4,173 BDC licences by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2024 was laudable, and the reason was not far-fetched; it was a necessary attempt at cleaning the Augean stable of a sector plagued by non-compliance with anti-money laundering and terror-financing regulations.

Our position, as far as these convictions go, is both a commendation and a charge to the stakeholders not to rest on their oars. The justice delivered for the victims of the St. Francis Catholic Church attack must not be an isolated triumph, but the first of many consistent, systematic victories for the rule of law in Nigeria.