DSS hails major counter-terrorism victory but moves to appeal sentence, insisting punishment falls short of crimes’ severity

The Federal High Court in Abuja has handed life imprisonment to two senior commanders of the Ansaru terrorist group, following their guilty plea to a raft of terrorism-related charges.

The convicts, Mahmud Usman, also known as Isah Adam, and Abubakar Abba, alias Abu Bara, were arraigned on 32 counts filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) on behalf of the Federal Government.

They admitted to multiple offences, including terrorism, financing of terrorist activities, kidnapping, and other related crimes linked to insurgent operations in northern Nigeria.

Delivering judgment, Justice Emeka Nwite sentenced both men to life imprisonment on the principal terrorism counts. He also imposed additional 20-year jail terms on other counts, ruling that all sentences would take effect from the dates of their arrest.

The DSS had apprehended the suspects in separate operations conducted between May and July 2025, describing them as high-ranking figures within Ansaru, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated extremist group.

Security prosecutors welcomed the conviction as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing war against terrorism, noting that dismantling leadership structures remains critical to weakening insurgent networks.

However, the DSS signalled its intention to challenge the ruling at the appellate court, arguing that the life sentences do not adequately reflect the gravity of the crimes. The agency specifically referenced allegations tying the group to the killing of abducted teachers in Oyo State as grounds for seeking stricter penalties.

The case marks one of the most high-profile terrorism convictions in recent times, underscoring intensified efforts by Nigerian authorities to secure convictions against key figures in extremist groups.