Two Ansaru Leaders Admit to Terrorism Charges in Court

Two top members of the Ansaru terrorist group pleaded guilty to 32 terrorism charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday. This comes after months of fighting the case in court.

The two men, Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, Abbas, and Mukhtar, and Abubakar Abba, also known as Mahmud al-Nigeri and Malam Mamuda, changed their pleas in front of Judge Emeka Nwite. Usman is called the self-styled Emir of Ansaru, while Abba is said to be the group’s deputy leader and chief of staff.

Their lawyer, Bala Dakum, informed the court that after discussing with his clients, they decided to change their earlier pleas and accept 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," Mr Dakum said.

David Kaswe, the lawyer for the State Security Service (SSS), did not oppose the request. He asked the court to allow the 32-count charge to be read again. The court agreed, and both men then pleaded guilty to all 32 counts.

Reports from PREMIUM TIMES stated that the SSS had brought the two suspects to court on 11 September 2025. They face serious charges, including terrorism, financing terrorism, kidnapping for ransom, illegal mining, and making explosives.

The SSS claims these men coordinated sleeper cells and planned attacks. They also allegedly maintained connections with Al-Qaeda-linked groups in the Sahel and Maghreb regions. During their arraignment, Usman pleaded guilty to one count of illegal mining, which he allegedly used to fund terrorism. Judge Nwite sentenced him to 15 years in prison for that count, but he pleaded not guilty to the other 31 counts.

Abba, on the other hand, pleaded not guilty to all 32 charges. The court ordered both men to stay in SSS custody while the trial continued. The trial faced delays after Dakum said SSS officials blocked him from meeting the defendants to prepare their defence.

When the trial resumed in March, the prosecution began presenting its case. An SSS operative with the codename "Triple A" testified that the defendants admitted to receiving weapons training in Libya. They also allegedly had links with terrorist groups in the Sahel and Maghreb regions.

According to the witness, the suspects confessed to learning how to make explosives from trainers from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria while in Libya. The witness also stated that Usman admitted to leading Ansaru and that both men confessed to being part of the group. They also allegedly took part in kidnappings, illegal mining, and other terrorist actions.

During the last hearing on 9 July, Abba told the court he wanted to change his not-guilty plea. Judge Nwite postponed the proceedings until Monday for him to make a final decision.

On Monday, both men changed their pleas and accepted the charges against them. National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu announced their arrest in August 2025. He explained they were caught in a high-risk operation led by intelligence agencies between May and July 2025. Ribadu called the arrests a significant victory against Ansaru, a group linked to many attacks and kidnappings in Nigeria.