IN what security experts are hailing as a major breakthrough in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism, the Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted and sentenced Mahmud Usman, a notorious commander of the proscribed terrorist group Ansaru, to 15 years imprisonment.
News Point Nigeria reports that the judgment was delivered on Thursday by Justice Emeka Nwite, who found Usman guilty of illegal mining activities that were allegedly used to generate funds for arms procurement, terrorism operations, and multiple high-profile kidnappings.
Usman, who security agencies describe as the “self-styled Emir of Ansaru,” was arraigned by the Department of State Services (DSS) on a 32-count charge. The charges span terrorism, illegal arms acquisition, and kidnapping for ransom.
Though he pleaded guilty to the charge relating to illegal mining, Justice Nwite ordered that he remain in DSS custody pending trial on 31 other charges linked to violent attacks and terrorism financing.
Among the most serious allegations is Usman’s involvement in the 2022 attack on Wawa Cantonment of the Nigerian Army in Kainji, New Bussa, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
The attack left several soldiers dead and many others injured in what was described as one of the deadliest assaults on a military facility in recent years.
Court documents and DSS reports allege that Usman and his associate, Abubakar Abba, received training in weapons handling, IED fabrication, and guerrilla war tactics from terrorist camps both in Nigeria and Mali.
The intelligence service also accuses the duo of masterminding the July 2022 Kuje prison break, which led to the escape of more than 600 inmates, including dozens of Boko Haram and Ansaru fighters.
Other allegations include: planning an attempted attack on a Niger uranium facility, orchestrating multiple high-profile kidnappings, including that of French engineer Francis Collomp in 2013, the 2019 abduction of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, Magajin Garin Daura, a senior Daura emirate title holder as well as several cases of armed robbery and banditry.
National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, confirmed Usman’s arrest earlier this year, describing him as a critical figure in Ansaru’s operations.
“Mahmud Usman was not just a foot soldier; he coordinated several sleeper cells across the country,” Ribadu said. “His chief of staff, Mamuda, was responsible for leading the Mahmudawa terror cell around Kainji National Park.”
Ribadu said the arrest was the result of months of coordinated security operations, calling it a “significant step toward dismantling Ansaru’s operational network.”
Justice Nwite adjourned the case to October 21 for continuation of trial on the remaining terrorism-related charges.
Ansaru (Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan) emerged in January 2012 as a splinter faction of Boko Haram, claiming to oppose the killing of innocent Muslims.
However, it quickly became known for high-profile kidnappings, attacks on foreign nationals, and ambushes on military convoys.
With Usman’s conviction, authorities hope that Nigeria’s decade-long battle with terrorism may have gained a crucial advantage.