The Federal Government has earmarked N1.371bn in the 2026 budget for the prosecution of Boko Haram, terrorism and related cases, representing a sharp increase from the N530m approved for similar cases in 2025.
The provision is contained in the 2026 Appropriation Act signed by President Bola Tinubu, who approved a total budget of N68.32tn for the fiscal year, with N5.41tn allocated to defence and security.
Analysis of the budget documents shows that the allocation for terrorism-related prosecutions rose by about 159 per cent year-on-year, reflecting a shift in priority towards handling insurgency-linked cases and related offences.
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Further breakdown indicates that the N1.371bn accounts for about 14.1 per cent of the Federal Ministry of Justice headquarters’ capital expenditure of N9.725bn in 2026, compared to 7.9 per cent recorded in 2025 when N530m was allocated out of N6.750bn.
The ministry’s total headquarters budget also rose from N19.861bn in 2025 to N23.685bn in 2026, indicating an increase of about N3.825bn or 19.3 per cent. While personnel costs dropped to N3.461bn from N5.611bn, overhead increased to N10.500bn from N7.500bn, alongside the rise in capital spending.
The terrorism prosecution vote ranks among the major capital items for the ministry in 2026, alongside funding for infrastructure upgrades, international case handling, liability management and criminal justice reforms.
The increase comes amid ongoing mass trials of terrorism suspects at the Federal High Court, where the government has recorded 386 convictions out of 508 cases. Eight defendants were discharged, two acquitted, while 112 cases were adjourned to the next phase.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), had earlier urged the judiciary to expedite hearings in terrorism, kidnapping and other violent crime cases, stressing that swift adjudication is key to strengthening national security and ending impunity.
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Security experts, however, have called for greater transparency and accountability in the utilisation of the funds. They also emphasised the need for faster trials, stronger coordination among security agencies, and improved correctional facility security to prevent prison breaks and ensure that convicted offenders remain in custody.
They warned that without proper monitoring and effective use of the increased allocation, the impact on tackling terrorism and insecurity may be limited.
