Legal Aid Council says Federal Government will soon arraign about 5,000 suspected Boko Haram insurgents held in various detention facilities across the country.
The council’s Director-General, Aliyu Abubakar, disclosed this during a visit to the Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Zulum.
Abubakar said the Boko Haram suspects were being detained at Giwa Barracks, Maiduguri and Kainji correctional facilities, among others, over their alleged involvement in insurgency.
He said the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Office of the National Security Adviser in collaboration with the theatre commander of Operation Lafiya Dole will conduct the suspects’ trial
The LAC boss added that the Council was mandated to provide defence for the inmates.
Abubakar disclosed that the council had so far interviewed about 283 of the Boko Haram suspects to ascertain the nature of the crimes they have committed.
He said, “As their defence counsel, we have to interview them from time to time to enable us to know their own part of the story.
“It so because regardless of the heinous crimes they committed, it is possible that out of hundreds, you may found out that one or two persons were innocent of the charges that they are being detained.
“It was necessary for them to be represented by council to make sure that the official fulfils all the requirement of the provisions of the law.
“All evidence must be presented against them before the court of the law so that those that were found guilty are prosecuted and face the consequences of their action.”
Abubakar, however, stressed that regardless of the nature of the crimes committed by the suspects, “under our laws, they are innocent until proven guilty.”
He commended Operation Lafiya Dole for giving the council access to its detention facility to meet the inmates