The Nigerian government on Thursday arraigned two top leaders of Ansaru, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group, on terrorism-related charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
One of the globally wanted suspected terrorists immediately pleaded guilty to illegal mining, one out of the charges preferred against the two defendants.
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The defendants – Mahmud Muhammed Usman (a.k.a. Abu Bara’a/Abbas Mukhtar) and Abubakar Abba (a.k.a. Isah Adam/Mahmud Al-Nigeri) – were arraigned before judge Emeka Nwite on 32 terrorism-related charges.
While Mr Usman hails from Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State, Mr Abba is from Daura Local Government Area of Katsina State.
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Thursday’s proceedings, which lasted over four hours, were held amid tight security around the court.
Mr Usman pleaded guilty to Count 10, which accused him of mining precious minerals without lawful authority. The offence is said to be contrary to section 8(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 2004, and punishable under the same section.
The judge convicted him on the illegal mining charge and sentenced him to 15 years imprisonment.
However, Mr Usman pleaded not guilty to the remaining 31 counts, while Mr Abba pleaded not guilty to all 32 counts.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, M.B. Abubakar, urged the court to order their continued detention in the State Security Service (SSS) custody, citing national security concerns.
But the defence counsel argued that such a request violated Section 299 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, insisting that the defendants should be remanded in prison for the duration of the trial.
In his ruling, the judge, Mr Nwite ordered both men to remain in SSS custody, where they have been remanded since their arrest.
The court adjourned the case until 21 October for commencement of trial.
After Wednesday’s proceedings, SSS operatives discreetly moved the two defendants out of the court premises without the knowledge of journalists.
Tight security
As early as 8:06 a.m. on Thursday, amid heavy rainfall, operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) armed with rifles, had taken positions at the entrances of the Federal High Court on the Shehu Shagari Expressway, in the Central Business District, Abuja.
When the suspects were brought to the courtroom at about 9:09 a.m., journalists were barred from entering the court premises.
SSS operatives stopped broadcast journalists from mounting their cameras to capture the unfolding scenes. The security agents insisted that no recording devices would be allowed.
Eventually, a few broadcast journalists were allowed into the court, while the operatives stood guard at the entrance with their weapons, preventing others from gaining entry.
The defendants were captured alive following a high-risk, intelligence-led, multi-agency operation conducted between May and July 2025. National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu announced the high-profile arrest in mid-August.
The federal government, through the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, filed the charges on 4 September, on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.
Charges
The charges against the defendants include terrorism-related offences, kidnapping, illegal mining, and learning war tactics from a terrorist group in Mali.
In Count 1, the defendants were accused of conspiring between 2013 and 2015 to aid and abet terrorism by agreeing to be part of the formation and top commanders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), a proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria, and Count accused them of professing to be members of Ansaru, a branch of Boko Haram, in 2013 in Maiduguri and Daura.
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Count 3 accused them of receiving training in weapons handling from various terrorist camps, and Count 4 said they knowingly received training on the fabrication of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from various terrorist camps between 2013 and 2015.
In Count 5, they were accused of committing an act preparatory to terrorism between 2013 and 2015 by receiving training on war tactics from Jama’atu Nusratil Islam Wal Muslimin (JNIM), a terrorist group in Mali.
Count 6 accused them of committing an act preparatory to terrorism between 2013 and 2025 by receiving training on handling arms and ammunition from JNIM.
