The Department of State Services has announced plans to appeal the life sentences imposed on two senior commanders of the Ansaru terrorist organisation, maintaining that the punishment does not adequately reflect the gravity of the offences for which they were convicted.
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The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, sentenced Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, Abbas and Mukhtar, and Abubakar Abba, also known as Mahmud al-Nigeri and Malam Mamuda, to life imprisonment on Monday after they pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges.
Usman was described by the prosecution as the self-styled emir of Ansaru, while Abba was identified as his deputy and chief of staff.
A senior DSS official told journalists that the service would challenge the sentences and seek the maximum punishment available under the law, arguing that life imprisonment was insufficient considering the offences admitted by the convicts.
The official linked the decision to appeal with the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, alleging that the kidnappers demanded the unconditional release of Usman and Abba as one of the principal conditions for freeing the victims.
According to the DSS, the victims remained in captivity for nearly 60 days, during which the two commanders allegedly changed their approach to the criminal proceedings against them.
The official said the defendants had initially pleaded not guilty and later told the court that they were undecided about changing their pleas.
Justice Nwite subsequently directed them to decide whether to maintain their not-guilty pleas or admit the charges before the July 20 sitting.
The DSS official said the two men returned to court after the Oriire victims were rescued and pleaded guilty to the charges against them.
The security agency further alleged that two teachers were beheaded by the abductors to pressure the Federal Government into releasing the Ansaru commanders.
“Allowing the two terror commanders walk away with life sentences will not serve the cause of justice for the two Oriire teachers beheaded by their abductors,” the official said.
“The reason the terrorists beheaded the two Oriire teachers was to put pressure on government to release these two Ansaru commanders.
“It, therefore, wouldn’t be fair to see two men beheaded and their families are made to live with the losses without adequately bringing the culprits to book.”
The alleged connection between the convicts and the Oriire abduction formed part of the DSS official’s account and was not identified as a separate finding made by the trial court in Monday’s judgment.
Usman and Abba were prosecuted on a 32-count charge involving terrorism, terrorism financing, kidnapping for ransom, illegal mining, fabrication of improvised explosive devices and other related offences.
The prosecution also accused them of coordinating sleeper cells, planning attacks and maintaining relationships with terrorist organisations operating across the Sahel and Maghreb regions.
They were arrested in separate DSS operations conducted between May and July 2025.
At their initial arraignment, Usman pleaded guilty to one count relating to illegal mining allegedly used to finance terrorism and procure weapons. He was convicted and sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment on that count.
He pleaded not guilty to the remaining counts, while Abba initially denied all the charges.
On July 9, Abba informed the court that he was considering withdrawing his not-guilty plea but requested additional time to consult his lawyer. Justice Nwite granted the request and adjourned the case until July 20.
When the case resumed on Monday, the defendants changed their pleas and admitted the terrorism charges, prompting the court to convict them.
Their lawyer, Bala Dakun, urged the court to show leniency, arguing that the guilty pleas demonstrated remorse and saved the time and resources that would have been required for the prosecution to call witnesses and prove the case.
Dakun told the court that Usman was 50 years old, had 19 children and suffered from arthritis, while Abba had a wife, three children and health challenges.
He said the convicts were prepared to cooperate with security agencies by providing information about terrorist networks, financing and operations in Nigeria.
The defence lawyer also asked the court to consider granting them treatment similar to that extended to some repentant Boko Haram members who underwent rehabilitation.
Usman personally addressed the court, expressed remorse and pleaded for mercy, citing his health and the effect of his imprisonment on his dependants.
After considering the pleas, Justice Nwite sentenced both men to life imprisonment on two counts connected with terrorism financing through alleged illegal-mining proceeds and ransom payments.
The judge also imposed 20-year prison terms without the option of a fine on most of the remaining counts, a 25-year sentence on another count and an additional 15-year term applicable to Abba on a separate count.
The court ordered that all the prison terms should run concurrently from the dates of their arrests.
The prosecution had linked the convicts to several terrorist incidents, including the 2022 attack on the Nigerian Army’s Wawa Cantonment in Kainji, the abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp in 2013 and the July 2022 attack on the Kuje Custodial Centre, during which hundreds of inmates escaped.
It also alleged that the defendants used proceeds from illegal mining and ransom payments to obtain weapons and explosives and operated terrorist networks extending into Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.
The DSS maintained that the life sentences did not sufficiently account for the wider consequences of the convicts’ activities and the deaths of the two Oriire teachers.
The service is therefore expected to approach the Court of Appeal to seek the enhancement of the sentences imposed by the Federal High Court.
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