By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
The Federal Government will today (Thursday) arraign two top leaders of the Ansaru terrorist group, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated network, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
In a charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/464/2025, dated September 4, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, M. B. Abubakar, acting on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, accused the two commanders — Mahmud Muhammed Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, and his deputy, Abubakar Abba, also known as Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri — of terrorism and related offences.
The pair, Abu Bara’a and Mahmud Al-Nigeri, also called Mallam Mamuda, will be arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite on 32 counts bordering on terrorism.
Abu Bara’a is listed as the first defendant, while Mahmud Al-Nigeri is the second defendant in the charge.
According to the charge, the men were captured during a high-risk, intelligence-led operation carried out by Nigeria’s security and intelligence services between May and July 2025.
The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, announced their arrest on August 16, while briefing journalists in Abuja, stating that the suspects had been on both national and international terror watch lists.
The Ansaru terrorist group has been linked to a series of high-profile attacks and kidnappings across Nigeria.
In count one, Abu Bara’a, from Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State, and Mahmud Al-Nigeri, from Daura Local Government Area of Katsina State, were accused of aiding and abetting terrorism between 2013 and 2015.
They were further alleged to have conspired to form and serve as top commanders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fii Bilaadis Sudan (also known as JAMBS/Ansaru), a proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria.
“You thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013,” the charge stated in part.
Counts three and four allege that the defendants received training in weapons handling and the fabrication of Improvised Explosive Devices in various terrorist camps.
Count five accuses them of acts preparatory to terrorism by undergoing training in war tactics with Jama’atu Nusratil Islami Wal Muslimin, a terrorist organisation based in Mali.
In addition, count seven links the defendants to the attack on Wawa Cantonment of the Nigerian Army in Kainji, New Bussa, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State in 2022, which resulted in mass casualties.
The Punch