BREAKING: Captured Ansaru leaders plead guilty to 32 terrorism charges

BREAKING: Captured Ansaru leaders plead guilty to 32 terrorism charges

Two suspected senior commanders of the Ansaru terrorist group have pleaded guilty to 32 terrorism charges before the Federal High Court in Abuja, marking a major turning point in one of Nigeria’s most closely watched terrorism prosecutions.

The defendants, 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 on Monday after months of contesting the charges brought against them by the Department of State Services (DSS).

According to the prosecution, Mahmud Usman was the self-styled Emir of Ansaru, while Abubakar Abba served as the group’s deputy leader and chief of staff.

The dramatic development came after defence counsel, Bala Dakum, informed the court that both defendants had decided to withdraw their earlier not-guilty pleas following consultations. He requested that the 32-count charge be read to the defendants again so they could formally enter fresh pleas.

The application was not opposed by David Kaswe, counsel for the DSS, and Justice Emeka Nwite granted the request. After the charges were reread, both defendants pleaded guilty to all 32 counts. Their guilty pleas have effectively shortened the trial process, paving the way for the prosecution to present the facts of the case before the court proceeds to sentencing.

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The defendants are facing charges bordering on terrorism, terrorism financing, kidnapping for ransom, illegal mining, manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), conspiracy, providing material support for terrorist activities and other offences under Nigeria’s anti-terrorism laws.

The DSS alleged that the pair coordinated terrorist operations, supervised sleeper cells, organised attacks, financed insurgent activities through illegal mining and maintained operational links with Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist networks operating across the Sahel and Maghreb regions. Investigators also accused them of strengthening Ansaru’s operational capabilities through recruitment, logistics coordination and cross-border terrorist collaborations.

The DSS first arraigned both suspects before the Federal High Court on September 11, 2025, following their arrest during a major intelligence-led security operation. At the initial arraignment, Mahmud Usman pleaded guilty to one count of illegal mining, which prosecutors alleged was used to finance terrorism. He was convicted on that count and sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment, while pleading not guilty to the remaining 31 counts.

His co-defendant, Abubakar Abba, pleaded not guilty to all 32 charges, prompting the court to order that both defendants remain in DSS custody pending the conclusion of the trial.

The proceedings were later delayed after the defence complained that counsel had been denied adequate access to the defendants to prepare their case. When the trial resumed in March 2026, the prosecution opened its case by calling a DSS operative, identified only by the codename “Triple A.”

The witness testified that the defendants confessed during interrogation to receiving weapons training in Libya and specialised instruction in the manufacture of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from trainers originating from Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria.

According to the testimony, both men also admitted belonging to Ansaru and participating in terrorist activities, including kidnappings, illegal mining, logistics coordination and other insurgent operations.

At the previous hearing on July 9, 2026, Abubakar Abba informed the court that he intended to reconsider his earlier plea. Justice Nwite adjourned the matter to allow him to make a final decision. When the case resumed on Monday, both defendants formally admitted all 32 charges.

The suspects were arrested during a high-risk intelligence-led operation conducted between May and July 2025, according to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, who announced the arrests in August 2025. Ribadu described the operation as a major breakthrough in Nigeria’s counter-terrorism campaign, saying it disrupted the leadership structure of Ansaru, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated extremist group linked to numerous kidnappings, attacks on security personnel and violent assaults on communities across northern Nigeria.

Security officials believe intelligence obtained from the operation has strengthened ongoing efforts to dismantle terrorist financing, logistics and recruitment networks operating within and beyond Nigeria’s borders.

With both defendants now pleading guilty to all the charges, the prosecution is expected to present the facts supporting the case before the court considers an appropriate sentence. The latest development represents a significant milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to prosecute terrorism-related offences and hold those accused of supporting violent extremist groups accountable under the law.

Authorities have reiterated that security agencies will continue intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling terrorist organisations, preventing cross-border infiltration and improving security across the country.

BREAKING: Captured Ansaru leaders plead guilty to 32 terrorism charges