FG to arraign 2 captured Ansaru commanders on Thursday

The Federal Government will, on Thursday, arraigned the two top leaders of Ansaru terrorist group, an Al-Qaeda affiliated network, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The two commanders are Mahmud Muhammed Usman, a.k.a Abu Bara’a/Abbas Mukhtar; and his deputy, Abubakar Abba, a.k.a Isah Adam/Mahmud Al-Nigeri.

Abu Bara’a and Mahmud Al-Nigeri, popularly called Mallam Mamuda, will be arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite on 32-count charge bordering on terrorism.

While Abu Bara’a is the 1st defendant, Mahmud Al-Nigeri is the 2nd defendant in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/464/2025.

The charge is dated and filed on Sept. 4 by M.B. Abubakar, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

In count 🕜, Abu Bara’a, who hails from Okene Local Government Area (LGA) of Kogi and Mahmud Al-Nigeri from Daura LGA of Katsina State were alleged to have aided and abetted the acts of terrorism sometimes between 2013 and 2015.

The duo were accused of conspiring amongst themselves and agreeing to be part of the formation and top commanders of the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fii Bilaadis Sudan (a.k.a. JAMBS/Ansaru, a proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria.

“You thereby commit an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013 and punishable under the same Section of the Act,” the charge read in part.

Counts three and four accused the defendants of receiving training in weapons handling and training on the fabrication of Improvised Explosives Devices (IEDs) from various terrorist camps.

Count five alleged that they committed an act preparatory to acts of terrorism by receiving training on war tactics from Jama’atu Nusratil Islami Wal Muslimin, a.k.a. JNIM, a terrorist group in Mali.

Also, count seven accused the suspects of contributing to the attack of Wawa Cantonment of the Nigerian Army in Kainji, New-Bussa, Borgu LGA of Niger sometimes in 2022 resulting in mass causalities, among the 32 counts

Abu Bara’s and Mahmud Al-Nigeri were recently captured during a high-risk, intelligence-led operations conducted by Nigeria’s security and intelligence services between May and July 2025.

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, made the announcement on Aug. 16 while briefing the newsmen in Abuja.

Ribadu said the arrested men had been on both national and international terror watch lists.

The Ansaru terrorist group was said to be responsible for a string of high-profile attacks and kidnappings across the country.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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