The Coalition of Civil Society Groups for Peace, Security, Good Governance, Equity and Justice has commended the Honourable Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, His Excellency Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, following the official confirmation of 661 high-profile convictions under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
In a press statement issued on June 22, 2026, by its National Directorate of Media and Public Advocacy, the Coalition, described as the premier umbrella body coordinating over 50 frontline pro-democracy, legal-accountability and human rights NGOs across Nigeria, said the convictions span terrorism financing, armed banditry, cyber-syndication and economic corruption.
The Coalition described the milestone as “an unprecedented era of judicial accountability” and credited the results to what it termed the “Fagbemi Doctrine”. For decades, it said, the biggest bottleneck in Nigeria’s justice system was the deliberate, frustrating delay of high-profile criminal trials by wealthy syndicates. “Securing 661 convictions is not a statistical fluke; it is the direct result of a meticulous, evidence-backed approach to justice,” the statement read.
The group noted that the Attorney-General eliminated loose ends in prosecution files, enhanced inter-agency synergy between the Ministry of Justice, the EFCC, the ICPC and the Department of State Services, and ensured that state prosecutors are heavily insulated from political compromises. “This historic feat proves that under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the rule of law is a sharp sword aimed at sanitizing the nation,” the Coalition said.
It added that a significant percentage of the 661 convictions directly targeted terrorist financiers, local bandit informants and economic saboteurs who have long destabilized rural communities and bled the national treasury. “By aggressively securing prison sentences for these individuals, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has sent a clear message to international observers and local detractors alike: Nigeria is no longer a haven for impunity,” the Coalition stated.
As objective arbiters of truth and good governance, the Coalition said it hereby passes an unconditional, unanimous Vote of Confidence on the Attorney-General of the Federation. “His professional sagacity, calm demeanor, and strict adherence to constitutional principles have completely depoliticized the Ministry of Justice, returning it to its core mandate as the ultimate shield of the common man and the defender of public interest,” it said.
While celebrating the milestone, the Coalition called on the entire Nigerian judiciary, especially trial judges and appellate courts, to maintain the swift momentum. “We urge all stakeholders in the administration of criminal justice to emulate the patriotic speed and transparency established by the AGF. The Coalition is proud of you and is willing to collaborate with you in convicting more terrorists in Nigeria,” the statement concluded.
