Ansaru Leader, Mahmud Usman, Bags 15 Years Jail Term for Illegal Mining 

* Awaits trial on 31 terrorism charges

Alex Enumah in Abuja 

Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday sentenced one of the two Ansaru leaders, Mahmud Muhammed Usman aka Abu Bara’a, to 15 years imprisonment.

The sentencing was sequel to his guilty plea in a charge of illegal mining.

Usman, an indigene of Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State, was recently captured by the Department of State Services (DSS), alongside one Abubakar Abba aka Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri, from Daura, Katsina State.

They were arraigned by the DSS on a 32-count criminal charge bordering on terrorism and illegal mining, amongst others.

However, Usman pleaded guilty to count 10, which was on illegal mining and denied the other 31 counts.

Following his admittance of guilt on the 10th count, trial judge, Justice Nwite, consequently convicted him and handed him a jail term of 15 years.

He will however remain in DSS custody pending the conclusion of his trial in the remaining counts he pleaded not guilty.

Meanwhile, the second defendant pleaded not guilty to the entire count.

According to the Director, Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Babadoko Abubakar, the two defendants were alleged to have committed the offence between 2015 and 2024.

Among others, they were accused of bombing Wawa Military Cantonment in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, received training in weapon handling and fabrication of improvised explosive devices. 

The security agency alleged that they belonged to foreign terror groups, engaged in terrorism financing, kidnapping and receiving training on war tactics from a terrorist organization in Mali. 

In another charge, the defendants were alleged to have kidnapped a Custom officer and another Immigration officer who was killed while in their custody.

The prosecution claimed that the accused persons collected ransom running into millions of naira from families of their victims before the long arms of the DSS captured them. 

Similarly, they were accused of engaging in unlawful mining of mineral resources without valid licence from which they also made millions of naira. 

One of the charges by DSS against the two defendants is that the huge sums made from ransom from kidnapping and unlawful minerals mining were deployed in the procurement of huge arms and ammunitions including improvised explosive devices. 

The DSS further alleged that the two men received training on terrorism and war tactics in Sudan and Mali and also facilitated same for their followers. 

In another charge, they were accused of concealing information on terror attacks on various locations in Niger State. 

Following their denial of the charges, Justice Nwite ordered them to be remanded at the DSS facility in Abuja. 

Justice Nwite subsequently adjourned till October 7 for commencement of their trial. 

Meanwhile, in another charge, an alleged gunrunner, Hucaifa Haruna, was slammed with a five-count charge by DSS before the same Judge. 

The accused person however pleaded not guilty to all the charges and was also ordered to be remanded at the DSS facility pending his trial on October 17.

The two terror commanders were apprehended in a recent operation by a joint security team in a forest location.

Their capture has been applauded as a major breakthrough in the ongoing fight against insurgency and terrorism in the country.