By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA—The Federal Excessive Courtroom sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, convicted a commander of the Ansaru terrorist sect, Mahmud Usman, and sentenced him to fifteen years in jail.
The decision adopted a responsible plea entered by the defendant, who can also be recognized by a number of aliases, together with Abu Bara’a, Abbas, and Mukhtar.
Usman admitted earlier than the court docket that he engaged in unlawful mining actions and used the proceeds to amass arms for terrorism and kidnapping operations.
He was arraigned on a 32-count cost alongside his deputy, Abubakar Abba, popularly known as Mahmud Al-Nigeri or Isah Adam/Mallam Mamuda.
Whereas Usman pleaded responsible to at least one rely within the cost, his co-defendant maintained his innocence on all counts.
Consequently, along with sentencing Usman to fifteen years’ imprisonment, trial decide Justice Emeka Nwite ordered that each males be remanded within the custody of the Division of State Providers (DSS) pending the willpower of the remaining 31 counts in opposition to them.
Within the cost marked FHC/ABJ/CR/464/2025, the Federal Authorities alleged that Usman, also called Abu Bara’a, from Okene Native Authorities Space of Kogi State, and Mahmud Al-Nigeri, from Daura LGA of Katsina State, aided and abetted terrorist assaults throughout Nigeria between 2013 and 2015.
In line with the prosecution, led by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, M.B. Abubakar, the defendants conspired to function high commanders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fii Bilaadis Sudan (JAMBS/Ansaru), a proscribed organisation in Nigeria linked to the Al-Qaeda terrorist community.
They had been additionally accused of receiving coaching in weapons dealing with, the fabrication of Improvised Explosive Units (IEDs), and warfare ways from Jama’atu Nusratil Islami Wal Muslimin (JNIM), a Mali-based terrorist group.
As well as, the defendants had been mentioned to have participated within the 2022 assault on Wawa Cantonment of the Nigerian Military in New-Bussa, Niger State, which resulted in mass casualties.
Usman was described because the “coordinator of terrorist sleeper cells throughout Nigeria and the mastermind of a number of high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies used to finance terrorism.”Safety businesses captured the suspects between Could and July 2025 in intelligence-led operations. Their arrest was publicly introduced on August 16 by the Nationwide Safety Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who disclosed that each males had been on nationwide and worldwide terror watchlists.
Ansaru, a breakaway faction of the Boko Haram terrorist group, has been linked to a number of high-profile assaults and kidnappings within the nation.In a associated improvement, the DSS, on Thursday, additionally arraigned an alleged gunrunner, Hucaifa Haruna, earlier than the identical court docket on a five-count cost.
Haruna pleaded not responsible, and Justice Nwite ordered that he stay in DSS custody till October 17, when his trial is scheduled to begin.
The submit Terrorism: Courtroom sentences Ansaru commander Usman to fifteen yrs in jail appeared first on Vanguard Information.
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