Nigeria has begun the prosecution of more than 500 people accused of involvement in militant attacks in one of the country's largest ever terrorism trials.
The suspects face charges linked to aiding and abetting terrorism, particularly in north-east where an insurgency by the Boko Haram Islamist group began 17 years ago.
Since then insecurity has spread to many other areas of the West African nation, leaving communities, often those in rural areas, at the mercy of mushrooming militant groups and gangs that kidnap for ransom.
The mass trial opened on Tuesday at a high court in the capital, Abuja, where 227 suspects were arraigned before 10 judges, according to Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi.
Hundreds of people have lost their lives in bombings and various attacks across Nigeria this year alone.
