The trial of two alleged leaders of the Ansaru terrorist group, Mahmud Usman and Abubakar Abba, has been postponed by the Federal High Court in Abuja to November 19, 2025, after the lawyer representing the Department of State Services (DSS) failed to appear in court.
Bellnews reports that the case, which was scheduled for hearing on Tuesday, October 21, before Justice Emeka Nwite, could not proceed following a letter sent by the DSS counsel, Mohammed Abubakar, apologising for his absence and requesting an adjournment.
Abubakar, in the letter addressed to the court registrar, sought more time to be available for the next sitting to personally conduct the trial.
Following the explanation and with no objection from the defence counsel, Justice Nwite granted the request and adjourned the case to November 19 for continuation.
One Defendant Already Convicted
The latest adjournment came weeks after one of the defendants, Mahmud Muhammed Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for illegal mining, one of the 32 terrorism-related charges brought against him by the DSS.
Usman, who is said to be from Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State, pleaded guilty to Count 10 of the charge, which specifically related to illegal mining, and was convicted accordingly.
Justice Nwite, who delivered the judgment, sentenced him to 15 years’ imprisonment while ordering that the remaining charges, which bordered on terrorism and related offences, be heard separately.
His co-defendant, Abubakar Abba, who hails from Daura, Katsina State, and is also known as Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri, denied all the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the entire 32-count charge.
DSS Alleges Links to Foreign Terror Cells
According to the charges filed by the DSS, the two defendants allegedly belonged to the Ansaru terrorist network and participated in several criminal operations across northern Nigeria between 2015 and 2024.
They were accused of bombing the Wawa Military Cantonment in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, training in the use of explosives and weapons, and receiving tactical instruction from foreign terror groups in Mali and Sudan.
The prosecution also claimed that the duo engaged in terrorism financing, kidnapping, and illegal mining, from which they allegedly generated millions of naira used to purchase arms, ammunition, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The DSS stated that both men kidnapped a Customs officer and an Immigration officer, the latter of whom was allegedly killed while in their custody. The agency added that they extorted ransom payments worth millions of naira from the families of their victims.
In another count, the DSS accused them of concealing intelligence information regarding planned terror attacks in Niger State and other parts of the North.
Apart from terrorism-related offences, the defendants were charged with illegal mining of mineral resources without a valid license, which the DSS claimed served as an additional source of funding for their operations.
The prosecution said the pair unlawfully extracted and sold mineral resources in Kogi and Niger states, generating huge sums of money that were channelled into the purchase of arms and support for extremist networks.
Defence Denies Allegations, Seeks Fair Trial
At the arraignment, both men maintained their innocence, except for the one count of illegal mining to which Usman admitted guilt. The second defendant, Abba, denied all 32 counts, insisting that he was being wrongfully accused.
Justice Nwite, in a previous order, directed that the defendants remain in DSS custody in Abuja pending the determination of the case.
The court’s decision to remand them, according to the judge, was to ensure the safety of witnesses and the integrity of the ongoing investigations.
Bellnews reports that the DSS had arraigned Usman and Abba earlier this year on 32 counts of terrorism, financing terrorism, illegal mining, and conspiracy, among others.
The defendants allegedly acted as commanders and recruiters for the Ansaru sect, a splinter group of Boko Haram, which has been linked to several high-profile attacks in Nigeria.
They reportedly operated under false names, travelled frequently between Kogi, Katsina, and Niger States, and maintained contact with foreign terrorist trainers in the Sahel region.
Their arrest, according to the DSS, followed a multi-agency operation involving tactical intelligence units and local security collaborators.
Following Tuesday’s adjournment, the case is expected to resume on November 19, when the DSS counsel is due to present witnesses and tender evidence against the accused persons.
For now, both defendants remain in detention at the DSS facility in Abuja as the court prepares to proceed with the next phase of the trial.