Court adjourns terrorism trial of Ansaru commanders to Nov. 19

The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the terrorism trial of two alleged commanders of the terrorist group Ansaru until November 19, 2025, following the absence of Mohammed Abubakar, counsel for the Department of State Services (DSS).

Justice Emeka Nwite granted the adjournment after receiving a letter from Abubakar, who apologised for his inability to appear in court and requested a new date.

The defence did not oppose the request, prompting the court to fix a new date for the continuation of the trial.

The defendants, Mahmud Usman (also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar) and Abubakar Abba (also known as Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri, and Mallam Mamuda), face a 32-count charge relating to terrorism, conspiracy, illegal mining, and providing material support to terrorist organisations.

The charges, filed on September 4 and marked FHC/ABJ/CR/464/2025, were submitted by Abubakar, director of Public Prosecutions, on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation.

Usman, the 1st defendant, pleaded guilty to one of the counts illegal mining and was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison on September 11. Abba, the 2nd defendant, pleaded not guilty to all charges.

According to the federal government, the illegal mining offence, which took place between 2015 and 2025, involved the extraction of valuable minerals such as “thunder” and “california stones” without lawful authorisation, violating Section 8(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, LFN 2004.

The prosecution further alleges that between 2013 and 2015, the two men supported terrorist activities and were instrumental in the formation and leadership of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fii Bilaadis Sudan (also known as JAMBS/Ansaru), a group linked to Al-Qaeda and officially designated as a terrorist organisation in Nigeria.

The defendants are accused of receiving training in weapons handling and improvised explosive device (IED) fabrication, undergoing combat training with Jama’atu Nusratil Islam Wal Muslimin (JNIM), a terrorist group based in Mali, and participating in the 2022 attack on the Nigerian Army’s Wawa Cantonment in Kainji, Borgu Local Government Area, Niger State, which reportedly resulted in multiple casualties.

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Following their arraignment and not-guilty pleas to most charges, the court ordered both defendants to remain in DSS custody in Abuja pending the continuation of the trial on the next adjourned date.