Nigerian courts have sentenced 44 Boko Haram terrorists to 30 years in prison with hard labour for funding terrorist activities, a spokesman for the country’s counterterrorism agency announced on Saturday.

These convictions are part of resumed trials for suspects linked to the insurgent group.

The 44 individuals were among 54 suspects brought before four specialised civilian courts located at a military base in Kainji, Niger State.

Abu Michael, a spokesman for Nigeria’s counterterrorism centre, stated that sentences ranged from 10 to 30 years.

These trials mark the resumption of prosecutions that were suspended seven years ago, targeting over 1,000 individuals suspected of ties to Boko Haram.

The group has waged a violent insurgency since 2009, aiming to establish a caliphate in Nigeria’s northeast. With these latest convictions, Nigeria has now secured a total of 785 cases involving terrorism financing and other related offences. Trials for the remaining 10 cases have been adjourned.

Nigeria is currently on an international “grey list” for deficiencies in preventing money laundering and terrorism financing, alongside countries like South Sudan, South Africa, Monaco, and Croatia.

The 16-year conflict with Boko Haram has resulted in over 40,000 deaths and displaced around two million people, according to the United Nations. The violence has also spilt into neighbouring Cameroon, Chad, and Niger.

Nigeria first began mass trials of insurgents in October 2017. That initial phase, lasting five months, led to the convictions of 200 Boko Haram fighters, with sentences ranging from the death penalty and life imprisonment to terms of 20 to 70 years. These offences included attacks on women and children, destruction of religious sites, killing civilians, and abducting women and children.

However, human rights groups have criticised the military for arbitrarily arresting thousands of civilians, many of whom were held for years without legal access or trial.