Captured Ansaru Leaders Plead Guilty To 32 Terrorism Charges

Two suspected senior commanders of the Ansaru terrorist group on Monday pleaded guilty to a 32-count terrorism charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja after months of contesting the case.

The defendants, Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, Abbas and Mukhtar, whom the prosecution identified as the self-styled Emir of Ansaru, and Abubakar Abba, also known as Mahmud al-Nigeri and Malam Mamuda, alleged to be the group’s deputy leader and chief of staff, changed their pleas before Justice Emeka Nwite.

Their lawyer, Bala Dakum, told the court that after consulting with the defendants, they had decided to withdraw their earlier not-guilty pleas and admit the charges.

“After consultation with the defendants, my lord, they have agreed and are ready to change their plea. We apply that the charge be read to them accordingly,” Dakum said.

Counsel to the Department of State Services (DSS), David Kaswe, did not oppose the application and urged the court to allow the 32-count charge to be read again.

The court granted the request, after which both defendants pleaded guilty to all 32 counts.

The suspects were first arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on September 11, 2025, on charges bordering on terrorism, terrorism financing, kidnapping for ransom, illegal mining, financing terrorism, manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and other related offences.

The prosecution also alleged that the pair coordinated sleeper cells, orchestrated terrorist attacks and maintained links with Al-Qaeda-affiliated groups operating across the Sahel and Maghreb regions.

At their initial arraignment, Usman pleaded guilty to one count of illegal mining, allegedly used to finance terrorism. He was convicted and sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment on that count, but pleaded not guilty to the remaining 31 charges.

Abba, however, pleaded not guilty to all 32 counts, prompting the court to remand both defendants in DSS custody pending the conclusion of their trial.

The trial was later delayed after defence counsel complained that DSS officials had denied him access to his clients to prepare their defence.

When proceedings resumed in March, the prosecution opened its case with testimony from a DSS operative identified only by the codename “Triple A.”

The witness told the court that the defendants confessed to receiving weapons training in Libya and maintaining links with terrorist groups operating across the Sahel and Maghreb.

According to the witness, the suspects also admitted receiving training in the manufacture of improvised explosive devices from instructors from Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria while in Libya.

The operative further testified that Usman admitted leading Ansaru and that both defendants confessed to membership of the group, as well as involvement in kidnappings, illegal mining and other terrorist activities.

At the previous hearing on July 9, Abba informed the court that he wished to reconsider his not-guilty plea, prompting Justice Nwite to adjourn the matter until Monday.

On Monday, both defendants formally changed their pleas and admitted to all the charges against them.

The arrest of the two suspects was announced by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, in August 2025. He said they were apprehended during a high-risk, intelligence-led multi-agency operation conducted between May and July 2025.

Ribadu described their arrest as a major breakthrough in the fight against Ansaru, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group linked to several attacks and kidnappings across Nigeria.