FG to arraign two Ansaru terrorist commanders in Abuja Thursday

The Federal Government will on Thursday, September 11, 2025, arraign two senior commanders of the Ansaru terrorist group, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated network, before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The suspects, identified as Mahmud Muhammed Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, and his deputy, Abubakar Abba, popularly called Mahmud Al-Nigeri or Isah Adam/Mallam Mamuda, will appear before Justice Emeka Nwite to face a 32-count charge bordering on terrorism.

According to court filings marked FHC/ABJ/CR/464/2025 and dated September 4, the charges were instituted by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, M.B. Abubakar, on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

In the first count, Abu Bara’a, from Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State, and Mahmud Al-Nigeri, from Daura LGA of Katsina State, were accused of aiding and abetting terrorism between 2013 and 2015.

They were also alleged to have conspired to serve as top commanders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fii Bilaadis Sudan (JAMBS/Ansaru), a proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria.

The prosecution further alleged that the defendants received training in weapons handling, fabrication of Improvised Explosives Devices (IEDs), and war tactics from Jama’atu Nusratil Islami Wal Muslimin (JNIM), a Mali-based terrorist group.

They were also accused of participating in the 2022 attack on Wawa Cantonment of the Nigerian Army in New-Bussa, Niger State, which resulted in mass casualties.

The two men were captured between May and July 2025 in intelligence-led operations by Nigeria’s security and intelligence services.

Their arrest was announced on August 16 by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who disclosed that both suspects had been on national and international terror watch lists.

Ansaru, a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, has been linked to several high-profile attacks and kidnappings across Nigeria.