The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced two members of the Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group Ansaru to life imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to terrorism-related offences.
Justice Emeka Nwite handed down the sentence on Monday to Abubakar Abba, also known as Abu Bara, identified as an Ansaru commander, and his co-defendant, Mahmud Usman (also known as Isah Adam/Mahmud).
The duo pleaded guilty to a 32-count charge filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) on behalf of the Federal Government.
The court sentenced both men to life imprisonment on counts 30 and 31, while imposing 20-year prison terms on the remaining counts. Justice Nwite ordered that the sentences on the other counts run from the date of their arrest.
According to the prosecution, the convicts were arrested in separate DSS operations conducted between May and July 2025.
They were charged with multiple terrorism-related offences, including:
* Terrorism and terrorism financing
* Kidnapping for ransom
* Illegal mining to fund terrorist activities
* Financing terrorism
* Manufacturing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)
* Coordinating sleeper cells and terrorist attacks
* Maintaining links with extremist groups operating in the Sahel and Maghreb regions
During an earlier stage of the proceedings, Mahmud Usman had pleaded guilty to a separate count of illegal mining used to finance terrorism and procure arms, for which he was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment.
The latest judgment marks a significant conviction in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to prosecute individuals linked to terrorist networks and disrupt their financing and operational structures.
