The Abuja Federal High Court sentences two commanders linked to Ansaru, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group, to life imprisonment. The defendants are Abubakar Abba, also known as “Abu Bara” (among other aliases), and Mahmud Usman, also known as “Isah Adam/Mahmud” (and other reported names). According to the reports, the Department of State Service (DSS) prosecutes them on behalf of the Federal Government for terrorism-related offences carrying a 32-count charge. The court issues the life sentences after both men plead guilty on Monday.
The sources state that Justice Emeka Nwite delivers the judgment. The life terms are imposed on specific counts (reported as counts 30 and 31), while the defendants receive prison terms of 20 years on the remaining counts. The court orders that the prison term for the other charges begins from the date of their arrest.
The reports add that the DSS arrests the two men in separate operations between May and July 2025. The charges described include terrorism and terrorism financing, kidnapping for ransom, illegal mining, funding terrorism, and fabrication or involvement with improvised explosive devices (IEDs), alongside alleged coordination of sleeper cells and links to armed groups across the Sahel/Maghreb.
