The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Abubakar Abba, an alleged commander of Ansaru, an Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group, to life imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to terrorism charges filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) on behalf of the Federal Government.
Abba, also known as Abu Bara, was convicted alongside his co-defendant, Mahmud Usman, also known as Isah Adam or Mahmud, after both admitted guilt to a 32-count charge bordering on terrorism and related offences.
Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the judgment on Monday, imposing life imprisonment on both men for counts 30 and 31 of the charge.
In addition, the court sentenced the convicts to 20 years’ imprisonment on the remaining counts and ordered that the prison terms for those offences should take effect from the date of their arrest.
The DSS arrested the two suspects in separate operations conducted between May and July 2025.
According to the prosecution, they faced a 32-count charge that included terrorism, terrorism financing, kidnapping for ransom, illegal mining, financing terrorist activities, manufacturing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), and other terrorism-related offences.
The prosecution also alleged that the defendants coordinated sleeper cells, organised attacks, and maintained links with terrorist groups operating across the Sahel and Maghreb regions.
Before the conclusion of the trial, Mahmud Usman had earlier pleaded guilty to a separate count of illegal mining to finance terrorism and procure arms, for which he was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment.
BACKSTORY:
Ansaru, formally known as Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan, is a militant group that emerged in 2012 after splitting from Boko Haram. The group is widely regarded as being affiliated with Al-Qaeda and has been linked to several terrorist attacks, kidnappings, and assaults on security personnel in northern Nigeria. Unlike Boko Haram, which initially focused on local insurgency, Ansaru has often been associated with transnational jihadist networks operating across the Sahel and North Africa.
Over the years, Nigerian security agencies have intensified operations against Ansaru and other terrorist groups through coordinated military campaigns and intelligence-led operations. The Department of State Services (DSS) has played a key role in investigating and prosecuting suspected members of terrorist organisations, particularly in cases involving terrorism financing, kidnapping for ransom, illegal mining, and the manufacture of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Authorities have repeatedly warned that terrorist groups increasingly rely on criminal activities—including illegal mining, ransom payments, and arms trafficking—to fund their operations. In response, the Federal Government has strengthened efforts to disrupt these funding networks while improving cooperation among security agencies to curb violent extremism.
The conviction of Abubakar Abba, also known as Abu Bara, and his co-defendant, Mahmud Usman, is part of the government’s broader campaign to prosecute individuals accused of terrorism-related offences. Prosecutors alleged that the pair were involved in coordinating sleeper cells, financing terrorist activities, and maintaining links with extremist groups operating across the Sahel and Maghreb regions.
The judgment highlights Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to hold suspected terrorist operatives accountable through the judicial process while reinforcing measures aimed at tackling terrorism, insurgency, and terrorism financing across the country.
