Abuja witnessed a tense scene today as two top commanders of the notorious terrorist group, Ansaru, were arraigned before the Federal High Court under unprecedented security.
Lens News gathered that the men, identified as Mahmud Muhammad Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, and Abubakar Abba, also known as Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri (Mallam Mamuda), were brought into the court premises by heavily armed security operatives who sealed off the entire complex.
Both suspects face a 32-count charge bordering on terrorism, conspiracy, aiding and abetting violent acts, and leading a proscribed group. The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/464/2025, is presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite.
The atmosphere around the court was intense. Journalists and lawyers struggled to gain access as operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), alongside police tactical squads, mounted barricades and restricted movement. Eyewitnesses described the environment as “militarized,” with armored trucks stationed at strategic points.
According to federal prosecutors, the accused men played leading roles in Ansaru’s operations between 2013 and 2015, a period when the group was linked to several deadly attacks and kidnappings in northern Nigeria. Their arrest earlier this year in a joint operation involving multiple security agencies was described as a “major breakthrough” in Nigeria’s counter-terrorism war.
The trial is expected to be closely watched both within and outside Nigeria, given Ansaru’s ties to international terror networks and the sensitive nature of the charges. If found guilty, the suspects face severe penalties under Nigeria’s Terrorism Prevention Act.
For now, Abuja remains on edge as the case unfolds, with many Nigerians calling this a litmus test for the nation’s resolve to crush terrorism once and for all.
