A Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, has sentenced Abubakar Abba, an alleged commander of the Al-Qaeda-linked Ansaru terrorist group, and his co-defendant Mahmud Usman to life imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to multiple terrorism-related offences, including terrorism financing, kidnapping for ransom, illegal mining and the manufacture of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Justice Emeka Nwite handed down the sentence on Monday following the guilty pleas entered by the two men to a 32-count charge filed by Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) on behalf of the federal government. The ruling marks one of the most significant terrorism convictions secured against alleged senior operatives linked to extremist networks operating across Nigeria and the wider Sahel region.
The court sentenced both convicts to life imprisonment on counts 30 and 31 of the charge, while imposing 20-year prison terms on the remaining counts. Justice Nwite ordered that the sentences on the other charges should take effect from the dates of their arrests.
Abba, also known as Abu Bara, and Usman, who is also identified as Isah Adam, were arrested in separate DSS operations conducted between May and July 2025. Prosecutors accused them of participating in terrorist activities, financing extremist operations, coordinating sleeper cells and maintaining links with militant groups operating across the Sahel and Maghreb regions of Africa.
According to the charges, the pair were involved in terrorism financing through illegal mining activities, kidnapping for ransom, the fabrication of IEDs and other offences aimed at supporting terrorist operations. The allegations also included coordinating attacks and providing logistical support to extremist networks.
Before the latest judgment, Usman had already pleaded guilty to a separate count of illegal mining used to fund terrorism and arms procurement, for which he received a 15-year prison sentence.
Ansaru, formally known as Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan, is an extremist group that has operated in parts of northern Nigeria and has been linked to Al-Qaeda-affiliated networks in West Africa. Security analysts view the group’s activities as part of a broader regional security challenge spanning several countries in the Sahel, where governments continue to confront insurgencies, terrorism financing and transnational criminal networks.
The convictions come as Nigerian authorities intensify efforts to disrupt extremist financing channels and dismantle terrorist networks that threaten security and stability across West Africa.
