BREAKING: Court jails two Ansaru commanders for life over terrorism

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced two suspected commanders of the Ansaru terrorist group to life imprisonment. Abubakar Abba, also known as Abu Bara’a, and Mahmud Usman, identified as Isah Adam and Mahmud, pleaded guilty to 32 terrorism-related charges. The State Security Service (SSS) prosecuted the men on behalf of the federal government.

Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the verdict after the convicts, apprehended by Nigerian security forces last year, changed their initial not-guilty pleas to guilty. Both men received life sentences on counts 30 and 31. Additionally, they were each sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for the remaining counts, with the terms to run concurrently from their arrest date.

The SSS had initially arraigned the duo on September 11, 2025, facing charges that included terrorism, terrorism financing, kidnapping for ransom, illegal mining, and fabricating improvised explosive devices. The prosecution alleged that the defendants coordinated sleeper cells, orchestrated attacks, and maintained ties with Al-Qaeda-affiliated groups across the Sahel and Maghreb regions.

Proceedings had previously stalled when the defense lawyer complained about being denied access to the defendants by the SSS. Upon resumption, an SSS operative, codenamed "Triple A," testified that the defendants confessed to receiving weapons training in Libya, admitted their membership in Ansaru, and confirmed links to terrorist groups in the Sahel and Maghreb. The defendants' decision to change their plea to guilty marked a significant turn in the trial.