A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed July 20 to continue the trial of two alleged commanders of Ansaru, an Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group facing multiple terrorism charges filed by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The defendants, Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, and Abubakar Abba, popularly known as Mahmud Al-Nigeri or Mallam Mamuda, are accused of playing key roles in terrorist activities carried out in Nigeria between 2013 and 2015.
According to the DSS, the two men served as senior commanders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fii Bilaadis Sudan (Ansaru), a proscribed terrorist group linked to the Al-Qaeda network. They allegedly received training in weapons handling, bomb-making and combat tactics from Jama’atu Nusratil Islami Wal Muslimin (JNIM), a terrorist group based in Mali.
The prosecution also alleged that the suspects participated in the 2022 attack on the Nigerian Army’s Wawa Cantonment in New-Bussa, Niger State, which reportedly resulted in heavy casualties. Usman was further described as the coordinator of terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria and the mastermind of several kidnappings and armed robberies used to finance terrorist operations.
The defendants are facing a 32-count terrorism charge before the court.
During Thursday’s proceedings, the second defendant, Abubakar Abba, informed the court that he was considering changing his not-guilty plea. However, after consulting with his lawyer, he said he had not yet reached a final decision.
Although the prosecution urged the court to proceed with the trial, Justice Emeka Nwite granted a short adjournment and fixed July 20 for the continuation of the case.
Usman had earlier been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in September 2025 after pleading guilty to a separate charge relating to illegal mining.
The suspects were arrested between May and July 2025 during intelligence-led security operations. Their arrest was later announced by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, who disclosed that both men had been on national and international terrorist watchlists.
Source: Federal High Court, Abuja
