By Rafiu Ajakaye
LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) - A total of 205 Boko Haram militants have been convicted and 526 others freed for lack of evidence in the second round of mass trials of persons arrested in connection with the insurgency in northeast Nigeria, according to a statement.
In the statement issued on late Monday, Salihu Isa, Justice Ministry’s spokesman, said 73 cases were adjourned by the special panels trying the terrorism cases at a heavily guarded prison yard in central Niger state.
Isa said the panels comprising four judges tried a total of 301 cases.
Up from 475 last week, the spokesman said most of the 526 persons freed were minors or people with mental illness.
The first round of the mass trials took place last October.
One of the convicts had confessed to being involved in the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from northeastern Chibok town, sparking international outrage and deepening global anti-terrorism collaboration.