A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, today convicted and sentenced Mahmud Usman, one of the commanders of Ansaru, a proscribed terrorist organization to fifteen years imprisonment.
The court presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, convicted and sentenced the terrorist Commander, following his guilty plea to the charges made against him by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The DSS had arraigned the convicted and his co-conspirator, Abubakar Abba on terrorism, illegal mining, kidnapping, murder and other charges.
Upon the conviction of the terrorist Commander, the trial judge, Justice Emeka, however, ordered that the defendant to be remanded in the custody of the DSS pending his trial for thirty-one other charges preferred against him by the service.
In a thirty-two count charge filed before the Federal High` Court, Usman and Abubakar Abba were alleged to have committed acts of terrorism sometimes in 2022 by attacking Wawa Cantonment of the Nigerian Army in Kainji, New Bussa, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State. The attack led to mass casualties.
They are also alleged to have received training in weapons handling and fabrication of improvised explosive devices (IED) from various terrorists camps.
They were also accused of receiving training in war tactics from a terrorist organization in Mali.
Following the conviction and sentencing of Usman, Justice Nwite fixed 21st of October for trial.
The DSS accused the terrorist commanders of masterminding the July 2022 Kuje prison attack, which freed more than 600 inmates.
They also allegedly planned the Niger uranium facility attack and multiple kidnappings, including that of French engineer Francis Collomp in 2013.
Apart from that, they also committed other alleged crimes including the 2019 abduction of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, Magajin Garin Daura, and several armed robberies.
Ribadu Confirms Arrest: Recently, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, confirmed their arrest.
According to him, this followed coordinated security operations.
Ribadu described Usman as the “self-styled Emir of Ansaru” and coordinator of several terrorist sleeper cells across the country.
He said Mamuda worked as his “chief of staff,” leading the “Mahmudawa” cell around Kainji National Park.
Ansaru emerged in January 2012 in Kano as a splinter faction from Boko Haram.
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