Defendants seek time to prepare defence

*Trial begins January 15, 2026

The trial of two leaders of the Ansaru terrorist group, Mahmud Usman and Abubakar Abba, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, was on Wednesday stalled, due to plea by the defendant’s lawyer for time to prepare defence of his clients.

The defendants, who were captured by the Department of State Service (DSS) between May and July, this year are alleged to be mastermind of various acts of terrorism across the country.

Recall that Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had scheduled November 19, for commencement of trial, however, when the matter was called, Mr. B. I Bakum, who announced appearance for the two defendants told the court that the charge and proof of evidence were still with the DSS where the defendants were being remanded on the orders of the court.

The lawyer prayed the court that the two defendants be moved to a correctional center to enable easy access and ensure prompt and hitch-free trial.

However, counsel to the DSS, Mr David Kaswe, an Assistant Director in the Federal Ministry of Justice, opposed the request for transfer of the defendants to a correctional center.

Kasawe accordingly urged the court to commence trial as scheduled, adding that prosecution’s witnesses witnesses were already in court.

While he stated that protocol in the DSS required the defendant’s lawyer to write to the agency seeking permission to see his clients and also copy him, the prosecution lawyer informed the court that the defence lawyer was yet to do so.

Responding, Justice Nwite in a brief ruling granted the request for time to enable the defence lawyer prepare for the case and adjourned till January 15.

Meanwhile, the court ordered the defendants’ lawyer to always write the DSS for permission to visit his clients and copy the prosecutor.

Usman and Abubakar Abba are being prosecuted for terrorism by the DSS. However, while Usman pleaded guilty to Count 10 in the 32-count charge, Abubakar Abba pleaded not guilty to the entire 32-count charge on terrorism offences.

At the arraignment, the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mohammed Babadoko Abubakar, alleged in the charges that the two defendants committed the crimes between 2015 and 2024.

Among others, they were accused of bombing Wawa Military Cantonment in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, receiving training in weapon handling, and fabricating improvised explosive devices.

The DSS alleged that they belonged to foreign terror groups, engaged in terrorism financing and kidnapping, and received training on war tactics from a terrorist organization in Mali.

In another charge, the DSS accused them of kidnapping a Customs officer and another Immigration officer, who was later killed while in their custody.

The secret police claimed that the accused persons collected ransoms running into millions of naira from families of their victims before their capture by the DSS.

They were accused of engaging in the unlawful mining of mineral resources without a valid license, from which they also made millions of naira.

One of the charges by the DSS against the two defendants is that the huge sums made from kidnapping ransoms and unlawful mineral mining were deployed to the procurement of large quantities of arms and ammunition, including improvised explosive devices.

The DSS further alleged that the two men received training on terrorism and war tactics in Sudan and Mali and also facilitated the same for their followers.

In another charge, they were accused of concealing information on terror attacks on various locations in Niger State.

Following their denial of the charges, Justice Emeka Nwite had ordered them to be remanded at the DSS facility in Abuja.

Ansaru, a breakaway faction of the Boko Haram terrorist group, was linked to several high-profile attacks and kidnappings across the country.

Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, is answering to a 32-count charge the DSS preferred against him and his alleged deputy, Abubakar Abba, popularly called Mahmud Al-Nigeri or Isah Adam/Mallam Mamuda. (THIS DAY)