Morganable NEWS/Security&Justice
Court proceedings revealed that the two men were arrested in separate security operations carried out by the DSS between May and July 2025
kaNo—
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday sentenced two senior commanders of the extremist group Ansaru to life imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to multiple terrorism-related offences, bringing to a close months of trial that exposed the scale of their alleged activities across Nigeria.
The trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, handed down the verdict after the two defendants-Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, Abbas and Mukhtar, and Abubakar Abba, also known as Mahmud al-Nigeri and Malam Mamuda-admitted to all 32 counts filed against them by the Department of State Services (DSS) on behalf of the Federal Government.
The charges ranged from terrorism and terrorism financing to kidnapping for ransom, illegal mining used to fund insurgent operations, fabrication of improvised explosive devices, and maintaining links with terrorist networks across the Sahel and Maghreb regions.
A senior official of the agency said it would challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal in a bid to secure what it considers a more appropriate punishment.
Judge Temper Justice With Mercy
Justice Nwite, in his ruling, said he was persuaded to temper justice with mercy after listening to the allocutus presented by the defence counsel, Bala Dakum, who pleaded for leniency on behalf of the convicts.
The court consequently sentenced both men to life imprisonment on counts 30 and 31 of the charge.
In addition, the judge imposed 20-year prison terms on each of the remaining counts, ordering that all sentences should run concurrently and take effect from the dates of their arrest.
Their arraignment followed on September 11, 2025, when they were first brought before the court on terrorism-related charges marked FHC/ABJ/CR/464/2025.
At the initial stage of the trial, both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
However, Usman admitted to one count-illegal mining for the purpose of financing terrorism and procuring arms-and was subsequently sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment on that count, while maintaining his innocence on the remaining charges. Abba, on his part, denied all counts at the time.
The trial took a dramatic turn in July 2026 when Abba signalled his intention to change his plea.
Although he initially hesitated, he eventually joined Usman in pleading guilty to all 32 counts during Monday’s proceedings.
“After having consulted with the defendants, my lord, they have agreed and are ready to change their plea, and we apply that the charge be read to them accordingly,” Dakum said.
The prosecution counsel, David Kaswe, did not oppose the application and urged the court to convict the defendants in line with Section 274 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, citing relevant legal precedents to support his argument.
Kaswe maintained that the defendants’ guilty plea was unequivocal and left no doubt about their culpability.
“I urge this honourable court to draw strength from the ACJA, 2015, and the decision of the apex court cited, and convict the defendants on all the 32 counts,” he said.
Justice Nwite subsequently convicted both men on all counts before proceeding to sentencing.
In his plea for leniency, Dakum told the court that the defendants had shown genuine remorse and had taken responsibility for their actions.
He urged the judge to exercise his discretion judiciously, noting that the guilty plea was not intended to trivialise the offences but rather to demonstrate acceptance of wrongdoing.
“However, they have come to the court in an honest show of remorse and acceptance of full responsibility for their actions,” the lawyer added.
DSS Insist Life Imprisonment Not Enough
The DSS, however, took a different view, insisting that the punishment did not adequately reflect the gravity of the offences or the suffering of victims linked to the convicts’ activities.
Convicts Pleaded Guilty After Abducted Oyo Pupils Rescue
A senior official of the agency disclosed that the decision of the defendants to plead guilty came after security forces rescued pupils and teachers who had been abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
According to the official, the kidnappers who held the victims for nearly 60 days had demanded the unconditional release of the two Ansaru commanders as part of the conditions for freeing the hostages.
“For the nearly 60 days the kidnappers held on to the pupils and teachers of Oriire, the Ansaru commanders in our custody changed,” the official said.
The DSS further alleged that the abductors executed two teachers during the incident in an attempt to pressure the government into yielding to their demands.
“The reason the terrorists beheaded the two Oriire teachers was to put pressure on the government to release these two Ansaru commanders,” the official added.
The agency said it would proceed with its appeal, arguing that a stiffer sentence was necessary not only to serve justice but also to deter future acts of terrorism.
Legal analysts say the case highlights the complexities of prosecuting terrorism offences in Nigeria, where courts must balance the need for strict punishment with legal provisions that allow for discretion, especially when defendants plead guilty.
They note that while a life sentence is one of the heaviest penalties available under Nigerian law, the decision to appeal suggests that security agencies may be seeking maximum sanctions to reflect the broader implications of terrorism on national security.
The case also underscores the continued threat posed by extremist groups such as Ansaru, which has been linked to kidnappings, attacks on civilians and security forces, and cross-border terrorist activities.
For many observers, the outcome of the appeal if pursued,will be closely watched as a test of the justice system’s response to terrorism and its ability to deliver closure for victims while reinforcing deterrence.
