The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, will on November 19 continue the trial of two alleged leaders of the terrorist group Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU), identified as Mahmud Muhammad Usman and Abubakar Abba. The two suspects are said to be senior members of the Al-Qaeda-linked group.
According to the Department of State Services (DSS), the men were arrested in July during an intelligence-led counterterrorism operation after months of surveillance. In a statement by the DSS Deputy Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications, Favour Dozie, Usman and Abba were described as key figures within ANSARU.
Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, reportedly served as the self-proclaimed “Emir” of the group and allegedly coordinated its sleeper cells across Nigeria. He is accused of organizing major kidnappings and robberies to fund terrorist operations.
Abba, said to be his deputy, is also known as Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri. He allegedly led the Mahmudawa cell operating around Kainji National Park, which spans Niger and Kwara States and extends into the Republic of Benin.
The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) earlier revealed that Abba received terrorist training in Libya between 2013 and 2015, under foreign jihadist instructors from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria. He was reportedly skilled in weapons handling and the fabrication of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Both men are facing a 32-count terrorism charge. Usman has already been sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of illegal mining, while Abba pleaded not guilty to all charges.
In a related case, the DSS is also prosecuting Khalid Al-Barnawi, the alleged mastermind of the August 26, 2011, bombing of the United Nations Building in Abuja, which killed 20 people and injured over 70. Arrested in 2016, Al-Barnawi is standing trial with four others — Mohammed Bashir Saleh, Umar Mohammed Bello (also known as Datti), Mohammed Salisu, and Yakubu Nuhu (also known as Bello Maishayi). Their trial has been delayed several times due to procedural issues, including lack of legal representation.
Justice Nwite recently granted the DSS’s request for an accelerated hearing, with a trial-within-trial held on October 23 and 24, during which video recordings of the defendants’ confessional statements were presented in court.
In another ongoing case, the DSS on August 11 arraigned five men before the same court for alleged involvement in the June 5, 2022, terrorist attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, which left over 40 people dead and more than 100 injured.
The defendants Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al-Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar are facing a nine-count charge, including allegations of belonging to an Al-Shabab-linked terrorist cell in Kogi State. They pleaded not guilty, and Justice Nwite ordered their remand in DSS custody while denying them bail on grounds that the charges were capital in nature.
Justice Nwite is also presiding over the trial of suspects linked to the June 13, 2025, Yelwata massacre in Benue State’s Guma Local Government Area, which left dozens dead and 107 injured. The attack prompted President Bola Tinubu’s visit to the state and a directive for the immediate arrest of those responsible.
Following investigations, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, announced the arrest of 26 suspects, while the DSS later filed terrorism-related charges against nine of them. Among those still at large are Haruna Adamu and Muhammad Abdullahi from Nasarawa State, accused of concealing information about the attacks in Abinsi and Yelwata villages.
In total, the DSS has filed six separate charges related to the Benue attack. The accused include Musa Beniyon, Bako Malowa, Ibrahim Tunga, Asara Ahnadu, Legu Musa, Adamu Yale, Boddi Ayuba, and Pyeure Damina. Two other suspects, Terkende Ashuwa and Amos Alede, are facing separate charges for alleged reprisal attacks.
Speaking on the ongoing prosecutions, the Director-General of the DSS, Tosin Ajayi, reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to justice.
“The arrests and ongoing trials of terrorism suspects demonstrate the diligence of Nigeria’s security agencies in confronting those who threaten our peace,” Ajayi said.
“These defendants are separate from the hundreds of suspects under military custody whose cases are being handled by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation. Last year alone, 125 terrorists were convicted. We will continue to ensure accountability and uphold the rule of law.”
