A commander of the proscribed terrorist group, Ansaru, Mahmud Usman (a.k.a. Abu Bara’a/Abbas Mukhtar), has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the judgment on Thursday after Usman pleaded guilty to one of the charges filed against him by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Usman admitted guilt to count 10 of the 32-count terrorism charge, which bordered on illegal mining activities carried out between 2015 and 2025. He was accused, alongside his deputy commander, Abubakar Abba (a.k.a. Isah Adam/Mahmud Al-Nigeri), of unlawfully mining precious minerals, including thunder stones and california stones, without government approval.
The Federal Government said the act contravened Section 8(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, LFN 2004.
While Usman pleaded guilty to the mining charge, Abba—popularly known as Mallam Mamuda—denied the allegation when all the charges were read.
Justice Nwite, however, ordered that Usman remain in DSS custody pending the trial of the other 31 terrorism-related charges in which he pleaded not guilty. The prosecution, led by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, M.B. Abubakar, had argued that releasing him posed a national security risk.
The judge adjourned the matter to September 21 for continuation of trial.
The 32-count charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/464/2025, was filed on September 4 by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
According to the charges, Usman (from Okene LGA, Kogi State) and Abba (from Daura LGA, Katsina State) allegedly aided terrorism between 2013 and 2015 by serving as top commanders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fii Bilaadis Sudan (JAMBS/Ansaru), an Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist organisation.
They were also accused of:
Receiving training in weapons handling and bomb fabrication.
Undergoing war tactics training with Jama’atu Nusratil Islami Wal Muslimin (JNIM) in Mali.
Participating in the 2022 attack on Wawa Cantonment, New Bussa, Niger State, which left many casualties.
