Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja is set to continue the trial of two high-profile terrorism suspects, Mahmud Muhammad Usman and Abubakar Abba, both wanted internationally and accused of leading the Al-Qaeda-linked ANSARU terrorist network in Nigeria.
Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a and described as the “Emir of ANSARU,” alongside his deputy Abba, was arrested in July in a major intelligence-led operation by the Department of State Services (DSS) after months of surveillance.
Prosecutors say Usman coordinated multiple sleeper cells across the country and masterminded kidnappings and armed attacks used to finance terrorism.
Abba is alleged to have headed the notorious “Mahmudawa” cell operating around Kainji National Park near Niger, Kwara, and the Benin Republic border.
According to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Usman received foreign terrorist training in Libya between 2013 and 2015 by jihadist instructors from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria, specializing in weapons handling and bomb-making.
Both men are facing a 32-count terrorism charge. While Usman pleaded guilty to a count of illegal mining and received a 15-year sentence, he and Abba maintain not guilty pleas on the remaining counts. Their case is ongoing before Justice Nwite in Abuja.
In a related development, the DSS is also prosecuting Khalid Al-Barnawi, alleged mastermind of the 2011 United Nations building bombing in Abuja that claimed 20 lives and injured more than 70.
Arrested in 2016, Al-Barnawi is standing trial alongside four other accused militants. Proceedings have previously suffered delays due to legal issues, but the court has now granted an accelerated hearing. During a trial-within-trial in October, the defendants’ video confessions were played in court.
Similarly, five suspects linked to the June 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State which killed over 40 worshippers and injured more than 100—have been arraigned on a nine-count terrorism charge.
The accused, believed to be members of an Al-Shabab-aligned cell operating in Kogi State, pleaded not guilty. Justice Nwite denied their bail request, ruling that the evidence against them is strong and they pose a flight risk.
Also before the court are suspects arrested in connection with the June 2025 Yelwata massacre in Benue State, where dozens were killed and 107 injured.
The DSS filed terrorism charges against nine individuals in August, with two additional suspects charged over reprisal attacks. President Bola Tinubu condemned the massacre and demanded swift arrests; 26 suspects were later detained by security forces.
DSS Director-General Tosin Ajayi emphasized the agency’s commitment to accountability in terrorism cases, noting that these prosecutions are separate from hundreds of suspects in military custody.
“We shall continue to make the suspects accountable for disrupting the peace of our country, in consonance with the rule of law,” he stated, adding that 125 terrorists were convicted last year.
The series of prosecutions marks one of the most coordinated terrorism trials in Nigeria in recent years as authorities intensify efforts to dismantle extremist networks across the country.
