Nigerian courts recently convicted 125 Boko Haram militants and financiers in a mass trial for various terrorism-related offenses. Since the Boko Haram insurgency began in 2009, thousands have been killed and millions displaced, leading to a humanitarian crisis in northeastern Nigeria. The convicted individuals were found guilty of charges such as terrorism, terrorism financing, providing material support, and International Criminal Court (ICC) criminality.
This mass trial follows previous ones held between 2017 and 2018 where 163 individuals were convicted and 887 were set free. Those who completed their sentences were moved to a rehabilitation center called Operation Safe Corridor in Gombe State for deradicalization and reintegration. Boko Haram made international headlines in 2014 after kidnapping over 270 girls from a school in Chibok, with many of the girls now having returned, though often as mothers of multiple children.
The breakdown of the latest convictions shows that 85 individuals were convicted for terrorism financing, 22 for ICC crimes, and the rest for terrorism offenses. The Nigerian government faces pressure to end the conflict and bring stability to the region.
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