Two suspected senior leaders of the Ansaru terrorist group have pleaded guilty to 32 terrorism-related charges before the Federal High Court in Abuja after previously denying the allegations.
The defendants, Mahmud Usman, alleged to be the group's leader, and Abubakar Abba, said to be his deputy, admitted to offences including terrorism, terrorism financing, kidnapping for ransom, illegal mining, manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and other related crimes.
Their lawyer informed the court that both men decided to change their pleas after consultations. The prosecution accepted the request, and the charges were read again before the defendants pleaded guilty to all counts.
The suspects had initially pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned in September 2025. During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence alleging that the pair received weapons and explosives training in Libya and maintained links with Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist groups operating across the Sahel and Maghreb regions.
In a plea for leniency, the defence argued that both men were remorseful, suffered from health challenges, and claimed they had been coerced into joining the terrorist group. They also expressed willingness to assist security agencies with intelligence on terrorist operations.
After considering the guilty pleas and submissions from both sides, Justice Emeka Nwite convicted the two men on all 32 counts. The court sentenced both defendants to life imprisonment on two of the major counts, while imposing additional prison terms for the remaining offences.
The suspects were arrested during a multi-agency security operation conducted between May and July 2025, an operation that Nigerian authorities described as a major breakthrough in the fight against the Al-Qaeda-linked Ansaru terrorist network.
.jpeg)
.jpeg "Sunayen kofofin aljanna guda takwas 8")
0 Comment about the Post: