Court Jails Ansaru Commander 15 Years for Terror Financing

Abuja, Nigeria – The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Mahmud Usman, a commander of the proscribed terrorist group Ansaru, to 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to illegal mining activities used to fund terrorism and kidnapping.

Justice Emeka Nwite handed down the sentence on Thursday and ordered Usman’s continued detention in the Department of State Services (DSS) custody pending trial on 31 additional charges.

Usman and another suspect, Abubakar Abba, face a 32-count indictment alleging involvement in terrorist activities, including the July 2022 Kuje prison attack that freed over 600 inmates and the assault on the Nigerian Army’s Wawa Cantonment in Niger State.

According to prosecutors, both men received weapons training and learned how to fabricate improvised explosive devices at terrorist camps in Mali.

They were also linked to plans to attack a uranium facility in Niger Republic, several high-profile kidnappings—including that of French engineer Francis Collomp in 2013—and the abduction of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, Magajin Garin Daura, in 2019.

The case continues on 21 October, when further charges will be heard.

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Mirian Gom

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Gom Mirian AHR Senior Correspondent, has over 8 years’ experience reporting on health, crime, education, investigations, and development issues across Nigeria and Africa. With dual degrees in Economics, she combines analytical skill with compelling storytelling. Widely recognised for her public health and humanitarian reporting, she earned a Nestlé Award nomination for compelling human-interest journalism. Follow her on Twitter @mirian_linus.

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