Terrorism: Abuja Court Jails Ansaru Leader For 15 Years

Mahmuda

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, sentenced one of the two Ansaru leaders recently captured by the Department of State Services (DSS), Mahmud Muhammed Usman a.k.a Abu Bara’a, to 15 years for illegal mining.

Bara’a, who hails from Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State, and Abubakar Abba aka Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri, who hail from Daura, Katsina State, were arraigned by the DSS on a 32-count of terrorism and related offences.

Of the 32 counts, Bara’a, who is the first defendant, pleaded guilty to Count 10, which was on illegal mining. The presiding judge, Justice Emeka Nwite consequently convicted him of the crime and sentenced him to 15 years in prison.

The second alleged Ansaru Commander, Abubakar Abba, who was arraigned alongside the convict however, denied the economic sabotage offence.

Usman and Abubakar Abba were put on trial on terrorism charges by the DSS but Usman pleaded guilty to count 10 in the 32 count charges which bothered on economic crime.

While Abubakar Abba pleaded not guilty to the 32 count charges on terrorism offences, Usman denied only 31 counts.

At the arraignment proceedings, the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mohammed Babadoko Abubakar, alleged in the charges that the two defendants committed the crime between 2015 and 2024.

Among others, they were accused of bombing Wawa Military Cantonment in Borgu local government area of Niger State, receiving training in weapon handling and fabrication of improvised explosive devices.

The security agency alleged that they belonged to foreign terror groups, engaged terrorism financing, kidnapping and receiving training on war tactic from a terrorising organization in Mali.

In another charges, DSS accused them of kidnapping a Custom officer and another Immigration Officer who was killed while in their custody.