BREAKING: Ansaru Commanders Plead Guilty To Terrorism, Kidnapping Charges

Two Ansaru commanders Mahmud Usman and Abubakar Abba have pleaded guilty to a 32-count charge bordering on terrorism financing, kidnapping for ransom, illegal mining, funding terrorism, and the fabrication of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), among other offences.

The defendants are also known as Mahmud Al-Nigeri and Abu Baraa also pleaded guilty to coordinating sleeper cells, planning attacks, and maintaining links with terrorist groups operating across the Sahel and Maghreb regions.

The defendants changed their plea from not guilty to guilty before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja.

The defendants had at the last adjourned date informed the court of their intention to change their plea.

At their initial arraignment, Mahmud Usman pleaded guilty to one count of illegal mining to finance terrorism and the procurement of arms.

He was convicted and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment on that count but pleaded not guilty to the remaining 31 charges.

Abubakar Abba pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

At the day’s proceedings, they were re-arraigned wherein they both changed their plea to guilty

In view of their guilty plea the prosecuting counsel David Kwase, prayed the court to convict the defendant immediately on all 32 counts in line with section 274(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015

The defendant’s counsel noted that despite the unequivocal plea of guilty by the defendants, the court should take cognizance of the fact that the change of plea by the defendants is to convey a message of repentance.