By Amofokhai Williams
The Department of State Services (DSS) has provided fresh updates on ongoing terrorism prosecutions across Nigeria, reaffirming its resolve to ensure justice for victims of terrorism and hold perpetrators accountable.
Among the major cases is the trial of two notorious terror suspects, Mahmud Muhammad Usman and Abubakar Abba, both wanted internationally for their alleged roles in leading Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU), Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate.
Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a and self-styled Emir of ANSARU, and his deputy, Abba, alias Isah Adam and Mahmud Al-Nigeri, were arrested in July during a high-risk, intelligence-led operation by the DSS after months of surveillance.
Investigations revealed that Usman allegedly coordinated multiple terrorist sleeper cells nationwide and masterminded several kidnappings and robberies to fund terrorist operations.
His deputy, Abba, reportedly led the “Mahmudawa” cell, which operated around Kainji National Park on the borders of Niger, Kwara, and Benin Republic.
According to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Usman received advanced training in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadist instructors from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria, specialising in weapons handling and the fabrication of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The duo face a 32-count terrorism charge before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja. While Usman has pleaded guilty to one count of illegal mining and was sentenced to 15 years, Abba pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Their trial resumes on November 19.
The DSS is also prosecuting Khalid Al-Barnawi, alleged mastermind of the 2011 bombing of the United Nations Complex in Abuja, which killed 20 people and injured over 70 others. Al-Barnawi, captured in 2016, is facing trial alongside four co-defendants — Mohammed Bashir Saleh, Umar Mohammed Bello (aka Datti), Mohammed Salisu, and Yakubu Nuhu (aka Bello Maishayi).
The trial, delayed for years due to legal hurdles, recently resumed after Justice Nwite granted the DSS’s request for an accelerated hearing. During a trial-within-trial in October, the court viewed videos of the defendants’ confessional statements.
In another case, five men-Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar — are being tried over their alleged roles in the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, which left more than 40 people dead and over 100 injured.
The defendants, accused of belonging to the Al Shabab terrorist group with a cell in Kogi State, pleaded not guilty to a nine-count terrorism charge. Their bail applications were denied due to the gravity of the offences.
Also before Justice Nwite’s court are suspects linked to the Yelwata massacre in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, which occurred on June 13, 2025, leaving dozens dead and over 100 injured. Following President Bola Tinubu’s directive for swift arrests, the DSS filed terrorism-related charges against nine suspects in August.
Two of the accused, Haruna Adamu and Muhammad Abdullahi, remain at large, while others, including Musa Beniyon, Bako Malowa, Ibrahim Tunga, Asara Ahnadu, Legu Musa, Adamu Yale, Boddi Ayuba, and Pyeure Damina, are on trial. Two additional suspects, Terkende Ashuwa and Amos Alede, are also facing charges for alleged reprisal attacks in the same region.
The Director-General of the DSS, Tosin Ajayi, said the prosecutions demonstrate the diligence of Nigeria’s security agencies in combating terrorism through lawful means.
“The various arrests and trials of terrorism suspects show our commitment to ensuring accountability for those disrupting the peace of our country,” Ajayi stated.
“These prosecutions are distinct from hundreds of others under military custody being handled by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation. In July last year alone, 125 terrorists were convicted,” he added.
He assured that the DSS would continue to pursue justice against all terror actors “in consonance with the rule of law.”
