A Federal High Court has sentenced two senior commanders of the Ansaru terrorist group to life imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to multiple terrorism related offences.
The convicted men, Mahmud Usman and Abubakar Abba, admitted to charges including terrorism, kidnapping for ransom, terrorism financing and the manufacture of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Ansaru Commanders Plead Guilty to Terrorism Charges The two men were prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) on behalf of the Federal Government on a 32 count charge.
After changing their pleas to guilty, the court sentenced both defendants to life imprisonment on counts 30 and 31. They also received 20 year prison terms on the remaining counts, with the court ordering that the sentences take effect from the date of their arrest.
Convicts Faced Multiple Terrorism Related Charges According to the prosecution, the charges against the two men included: Terrorism Kidnapping for ransom Terrorism Financing illegal mining to fund terrorist activities Manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs)Coordinating terrorist sleeper cells Carrying out multiple Attacks maintaining operational links with terrorist groups across the Sahel and Maghreb Regions the prosecution said the offences formed part of the activities of Ansaru, an Al Qaeda affiliated terrorist group operating in parts of Nigeria.
Defendants Changed Their Pleas earlier in the trial, Mahmud Usman had pleaded guilty to a single charge of illegal mining used to finance terrorism and procure weapons, for which he received a 15 year prison sentence. He initially denied the remaining charges, while Abubakar Abba pleaded not guilty to all counts.
At the previous hearing on July 9, Abba indicated his intention to change his plea before expressing reservations.However, both defendants later admitted guilt to all 32 counts, leading to the life sentences handed down by the court.
DSS Arrested Convicts in 2025 OperationsThe Department of State Services (DSS) arrested the two men in separate security operations conducted between May and July 2025.
The convictions mark another development in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to prosecute individuals accused of involvement in terrorism and other security related offences.
