A State Security Service (SSS) operative on Monday told the Federal High Court in Abuja that two suspected commanders of terrorist group Ansaru confessed to receiving weapons training from foreign instructors in Libya.
The witness, who testified as the first prosecution witness in the terrorism trial of the two men, appeared under protection and was identified only by the codename “Triple A.”
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The defendants in the case – Mahmud Usman and Abubakar Abba – are globally wanted suspected terrorists linked to al-Qaeda.
They were captured alive by Nigerian security forces in August 2025 and subsequently charged with 32 terrorism-related offences linking them to illegal mining and terrorist attacks in Nigeria between 2013 and 2015.
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One of them, Mr Usman, pleaded guilty to one of the 32 counts, prompting the judge to sentence him to 15 years’ imprisonment. The other defendant, Mr Abba, pleaded not guilty to all 32 counts.
Following the not-guilty plea, the judge, Emeka Nwite, ordered that they be remanded in the SSS facility in Abuja, pending the conclusion of the trial.
Their trial stalled on 16 January after the defence lawyer, Bala Dakum, told the court he was denied access to the two defendants to prepare their defence, prompting the judgee to rescheduled the hearing for16 March (today) to allow the lawyer the opportunity to meet with them.
Confessional statements of suspects training in Libya
On Monday, Triple A, led in evidence-in-chief by the prosecution lawyer David Kaswe, said the defendants confessed in a conducive atmosphere to receiving the weapon training in Libya .
According to him, the suspects admitted receiving training in the manufacture of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) from instructors from Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria while in Libya.
He said the first defendant, Mr Usman, was arrested after prolonged intelligence gathering that identified him as the leader of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru).
He said the second defendant, Mr Abba, was arrested by SSS operatives at Ugwan Musa Bypass, Kaduna North Local Government Area, Kaduna State.
Triple A said both defendants admitted being members of Ansaru.
He described the group as a breakaway faction of Boko Haram involved in terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery and illegal mining across the North-west, North-central, South-west and parts of the southern region, including Edo and Delta states.
He added that the suspects confessed to founding Ansaru in Jigawa State, North-west after holding several meetings in 2012.
He added that they further confessed to kidnapping the in-law of former President Muhammadu Buhari, A Musa Umar Uba, as well as an immigration officer and a customs officer.
The witness said the second defendant, Abubakar Abba, gave details of how he became involved with the group.
“He confessed to me and my team that he joined Boko Haram in 2013 in Daura, Katsina State through one Lawan.”
He said Mr Abba also admitted participating in an attack on a Nigerian Army formation in Wawa in 2020, which allegedly led to the deaths of several soldiers.
The witness also alleged that Mr Abba swore allegiance to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), which allegedly supplied the group with arms and ammunition.
“He said the group in Mali supplies them with arms and ammunition and teaches them war tactics and the fabrication of improvised explosive devices,” Triple A said.
“He said before his arrest he left six fighters from Mali at their camp located in Babana forest and that the camp was used for the group’s operations.”
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However, the defence lawyer, Mr Dakum, objected to the admissibility of the confessional statements.
He argued that the statements were not made voluntarily.
But Mr Kaswe, the prosecution lawyer, urged the court to dismiss the objection.
He said the statements were obtained in a conducive environment and that there was no coercion.
He added that a lawyer from the Legal Aid Council representing the defendants was present.
After listening to their arguments, Mr Nwite ordered a trial-within-trial to determine the admissibility of the confessional statements.
Mr Nwite adjourned the case until 13 April for the commencement of the trial-within-trial.
