Press release: 18th February 2018****.
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The Nigerian Coalition for the International Criminal Court commends the Attorney General of the Federation, Alhaji Abubakar Malami for rigorously pursuing the trial of the 2nd batch of Boko Haram Suspects. Most have been in pre-trial detention since 2011.

The trials, which were open to selected civil society organizations including the Nigerian Coalition for the International Criminal Court, showed that all the four trial courts sitting in Niger State are committed to conclude assigned cases by next week.

Reports from NCICC observers in the various courts revealed that one of the courts sitting at Wawa cantonment, Niger state, discharged 478 inmates for lack of evidence and ordered that they be sent to rehabilitation centers before being reintegrated into the society. Some inmates were also discharged at the last sitting in October but have remained in the detention center.

NCICC observers also noted that a crippled man was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment on charges of professing to being a member of the terrorist group and participating in their heinous activities.

The NCICC commends the Attorney General for his commitment and urges him to ensure all suspects, estimated to be over 6,000 in prisons, military detention camps, DSS detention centers etc, are brought to trial. Measures should be put in place to avoid long pretrial detention by insisting that law enforcement agencies including DSS adhere to the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act which sets 28 days limit for pretrial remand orders.

Signed

**Chino Obiagwu**
Chairman, Steering Committee-NCICC

**Dr Abiola Akiode-Afolabi**
Vice-Chair, Steering Committee- NCICC