Court jails two Ansaru commanders for life over terrorism

The Federal High Court in Abuja has handed down life sentences to two commanders of the Ansaru terrorist group, an organization affiliated with Al-Qaeda. Mahmud Usman, also known as Isah Adam, and Abubakar Abba, alias Abu Bara, received the sentences after pleading guilty to terrorism charges brought by the Department of State Services (DSS).

Justice Emeka Nwite convicted the duo on a 32-count charge encompassing terrorism, terrorism financing, and related offenses. They were sentenced to life imprisonment on counts 30 and 31, with an additional 20 years for each of the remaining counts. The court ordered that these sentences run concurrently from the dates of their respective arrests. The DSS apprehended Usman and Abba in separate operations conducted between May and July 2025.

The charges detailed against the convicts included coordinating sleeper cells, executing attacks, and maintaining operational links with terrorist groups across the Sahel and Maghreb regions. Their illegal activities also involved kidnapping for ransom, using illegal mining to fund terrorism, and fabricating improvised explosive devices.

Court records indicated that Usman had initially pleaded guilty to one count of illegal mining for terrorism financing and arms procurement, receiving a 15-year sentence for that charge while initially denying the other 31 counts. Abba also initially pleaded not guilty to all charges but later indicated a willingness to change his plea. Both defendants ultimately admitted guilt to all counts, leading to their conviction and sentencing by Justice Nwite.