The trial of two top Ansaru leaders, Mahmud Usman and Abubakar Abba, on alleged terrorism charges was stalled on Wednesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
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The case, scheduled to commence before Justice Emeka Nwite, could not proceed after counsel to the suspects, Bala Dakum, requested additional time to be formally served with the charges and to study the proof of evidence.
Dakum explained that the charges and evidence were still with the Department of State Services (DSS), where the suspects were being held on court orders. He also requested that the defendants be transferred to a correctional facility to facilitate access and ensure a smooth trial.
Counsel to the DSS, David Kaswe, opposed the request, arguing that the trial should begin as scheduled since witnesses were present. Kaswe emphasized that DSS protocol required the defendants’ lawyer to write formally for permission to see his clients and to copy the prosecution in the correspondence, a step Dakum had not yet taken.
Justice Nwite, considering the submissions in the interest of fair hearing, adjourned the matter until January 15, 2026. He also directed Dakum to always notify the DSS and copy the prosecutor when seeking access to his clients.
The trial traces back to September 11, when Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, was convicted and sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for illegal mining after pleading guilty to count 10 of a 32-count terrorism charge. The offence involved mining precious minerals such as thunder and California stones without lawful authority, contrary to Section 8(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, LFN 2004.
Abubakar Abba, the deputy commander of the terrorist group, pleaded not guilty when the full charges were read. Both men, identified as leaders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fii Bilaadis Sudan (Ansaru), an Al-Qaeda-affiliated network, face 32 counts including terrorism-related offences, training in weapons handling, fabrication of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), and participation in attacks on Nigerian military installations.
The defendants, Usman from Okene LGA in Kogi State and Abba from Daura LGA in Katsina State, were arraigned on September 4, 2025, under charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/464/2025. Following their not guilty pleas, they were remanded at the DSS facility in Abuja pending trial.
Counts of the indictment include acts preparatory to terrorism, such as receiving military and explosive training from Jama’atu Nusratil Islami Wal Muslimin (JNIM) in Mali, and involvement in the 2022 attack on Wawa Cantonment in Kainji, Niger State, which resulted in mass casualties.
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