Court jails Ansaru commander 15 years for illegal mining

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday convicted and sentenced Mahmud Usman, a commander of the proscribed terrorist group Ansaru, to 15 years’ imprisonment.

Justice Emeka Nwite handed down the sentence after Usman pleaded guilty to charges of illegal mining activities, which prosecutors said enabled him to acquire arms for terrorism and kidnapping.

The judge further ordered his remand in the custody of the Department of State Services pending his trial on 31 other charges brought against him by the Federal Government.

The trial was adjourned until 21 October.

Usman and another suspect, Abubakar Abba, are facing prosecution on a 32-count charge filed and brought against them by the DSS.

Prosecutors alleged that in 2022, Usman and Abba carried out terrorist attacks, including an assault on the Nigerian Army’s Wawa Cantonment in Kainji, New Bussa, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, which resulted in mass casualties.

They were also accused of masterminding the July 2022 attack on Kuje prison, which freed more than 600 inmates.

According to the charges, both men received training in weapons handling and the fabrication of improvised explosive devices at various terrorist camps. They were further alleged to have undergone training in war tactics from a terrorist group based in Mali.

Other alleged crimes include plans to attack a uranium facility in Niger, multiple kidnappings — notably that of French engineer Francis Collomp in 2013 — the 2019 abduction of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, Magajin Garin Daura, as well as several armed robberies, among others.