About 5,000 individuals suspected of involvement in terrorism-related offences are currently being held in pre-trial detention facilities across Nigeria, creating a significant backlog of cases.
The figure was disclosed in the 2025–2030 Strategic Plan of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, which acknowledged the pressure the volume of cases has placed on the country’s justice system.
According to the document, the NCTC’s legal team is working in collaboration with the Defence Headquarters and the Federal Ministry of Justice to review case files with the aim of fast-tracking prosecutions or dismissing cases that lack sufficient evidence.
“At present, there are approximately 5,000 individuals suspected of having been involved in terrorism-related offences who are being held in pre-trial detention. This has resulted in a significant backlog of cases,” the document stated.
It added that coordinated efforts are ongoing to either expedite prosecutions or discontinue charges that cannot be substantiated, while the NCTC also supports terrorism trials conducted by the Federal High Court sitting in Wawa Military Cantonment, Kanji, Niger State, and in Abuja.
The NCTC revealed that in 2024 alone, 393 terrorism-related cases were prosecuted, resulting in 329 convictions. This development raised Nigeria’s terrorism conviction rate to 84 per cent, a sharp increase from 41.5 per cent recorded in 2018.
The centre further disclosed that charges against about 1,200 detainees were reviewed and dismissed, leading to their release and reintegration into their communities.
In a major policy shift, the strategic plan also unveiled proposals to introduce DNA profiling into a National Database on Terrorism. The database, to be domiciled within the Office of the National Security Adviser, will serve as a central repository of information on known and suspected terrorists.
The database is expected to contain biometric details, including DNA profiles, intelligence on terrorist activities and operational methods, supplied by correctional facilities, law enforcement agencies, and intelligence units.
The NCTC said the initiative could significantly strengthen investigations, prosecutions, and intelligence-sharing, particularly in identifying repeat offenders, foreign terrorist fighters, and transnational terror networks.
