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A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday sentenced Mahmud Usman, a top commander of the proscribed terrorist group Ansaru, to 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to charges of illegal mining used to finance terrorism and kidnapping activities.
Justice Emeka Nwite, who delivered the judgment, ordered that Usman remain in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) pending trial on 31 other terrorism-related charges filed against him. The judge fixed October 21 for the continuation of his trial.
Usman and an associate, Abubakar Abba, are facing a 32-count charge accusing them of committing terrorist acts in 2022, including an attack on the Nigerian Army’s Wawa Cantonment in Kainji, Niger State, which resulted in mass casualties. They were also accused of undergoing weapons training, fabricating improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and receiving tactical training from a terrorist organization in Mali.
The DSS alleges that the defendants masterminded the July 2022 Kuje prison attack, which freed over 600 inmates, and were involved in plans to attack a uranium facility in Niger State. Other accusations include the 2013 kidnapping of French engineer Francis Collomp, the 2019 abduction of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, Magajin Garin Daura, and several armed robberies.
National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu recently confirmed their arrest, describing Usman as the “self-styled Emir of Ansaru” and coordinator of terrorist sleeper cells nationwide. He said Usman’s associate, Mamuda, acted as his “chief of staff,” leading the “Mahmudawa” terror cell operating around Kainji National Park.
Ansaru, which split from Boko Haram in January 2012, is known for high-profile kidnappings and attacks across Nigeria.
