Division of State Companies has mentioned many instances involving suspected terrorists are nonetheless being prosecuted in numerous courts throughout the nation.
The replace is coming following threat by america to invade Nigeria with a view to crushing terrorism and tackling alleged genocide in opposition to Christians.
It mentioned on November 19, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja will proceed the trial of two terrorism suspects, Mahmud Muhammad Usman and Abubakar Abba, who’re needed internationally.
A press release by Favour Dozie, Deputy Director, Public Relations and Strategic Communications of DSS, disclosed that Usman (aka Abu Bara’a) and Abba (aka Isah Adam and Mahmud Al-Nigeri) had been captured in a high-risk, intelligence-led, counter-terrorism operation in July by the Division of State Companies (DSS), after a number of months of chasing them.
The 2 are believed to be leaders of the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, generally generally known as ANSARU, Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate
Usman, the self-styled Emir of ANSARU, allegedly coordinated numerous terrorist sleeper cells throughout Nigeria. He’s additionally believed to have masterminded a number of high-profile kidnappings and robberies, the proceeds of which had been used to finance terrorism over time.
Abba, Usman’s chief of workers and deputy, is alleged to have led the so-called “Mahmudawa” cell, which operated across the Kainji Nationwide Park, positioned on the border between the states of Niger and Kwara, in addition to the Republic of Benin.
The Workplace of the Nationwide Safety Adviser, in an announcement issued on August 16, claimed Mamuda acquired coaching in Libya between 2013 and 2015 underneath overseas jihadist instructors from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria. He’s mentioned to have specialised in weapons dealing with and IED fabrication.
Usman and Abba are being tried on a 32-count terrorism cost, and on which they had been arraigned in late August. One of many counts associated to unlawful mining, to which Usman pleaded responsible and has since been sentenced to fifteen years. Abba pleaded not responsible to all of the 32 counts.
The DSS can also be prosecuting one other terror suspect, Khalid Al‑Barnawi, accused of being the mastermind of the August 26, 2011, bombing of the United Nations Advanced in Abuja, by which 20 folks had been killed and greater than 70 others injured.
Captured in 2016, Al Barnawi is going through trial together with 4 different terror suspects – Mohammed Bashir Saleh, Umar Mohammed Bello aka Datti, Mohammed Salisu, and Yakubu Nuhu aka Bello Maishayi.
The trial has been delayed for an prolonged interval resulting from authorized and procedural points, together with the suspects being sometimes dropped at courtroom with none counsel showing for them.
The DSS not too long ago requested the courtroom to grant accelerated listening to within the case, a request Justice Nwite granted.
On October 23 and 24, a trial-within-trial was performed, throughout which movies of the defendants’ confessional statements had been performed within the courtroom.
On August 11, the DSS arraigned 5 males earlier than a Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja over their alleged involvement within the June 5, 2022 assault at St. Francs Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State.
The 5 are: Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar.
Over 40 folks died within the assault, whereas over 100 people sustained accidents.
The 5 defendants had been arraigned on a nine-count terrorism cost, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/301/2025, by which they’re accused amongst others, of being members of Al Shabab terrorist group, with cell in Kogi State.
The defendants are additionally alleged to have carried out the assault in furtherance of their spiritual ideology.
They pleaded not responsible when the cost was learn to them, following which Justice Nwite ordered that they be remanded within the custody of the prosecuting company.
In a ruling on September 10 the choose rejected their request for bail on the grounds that they weren’t solely charged with offences that capital in nature, they’re additionally accused of being members of a infamous terrorist organisation.
Justice Nwite agreed with the prosecuting lawyer that the proof in opposition to the defendants was sturdy and couldn’t be missed.
The choose mentioned the argument by the DSS that the defendants would leap bail was not disputed by them and deemed to be true.
Additionally present process trial are the suspects arrested in reference to the Yelwata bloodbath in Guma Native Authorities Space of Benue State on June 13 2025.
The assault, by which dozens of individuals had been killed and 107 injured, drew worldwide condemnation. President Bola Tinubu paid a condolence go to to the state and demanded the arrest of the killers and attackers.
On June 24 2025, the Inspector-Basic of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, introduced the arrest of 26 suspects in reference to the bloodbath.
In August 2025, the DSS filed terrorism-related prices earlier than the Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja, in opposition to 9 suspects. Two suspects, Haruna Adamu and Muhammad Abdullahi of Awe native authorities space of Nassarawa state, who’re nonetheless at giant, had been charged with 4 counts of terrorism, amongst which is the concealment of details about the assaults, earlier than they had been staged in Abinsi and Yelwata villages between June thirteenth and 14th.
In whole, the DSS filed six separate prices in opposition to the arrested suspects, who at the moment are present process trial. They’re Adamu and Abdullahi are Musa Beniyon, Bako Malowa, Ibrahim Tunga, Asara Ahnadu, Legu Musa, Adamu Yale, Boddi Ayuba, and Pyeure Damina.
The DSS additionally charged two different suspects, Terkende Ashuwa and Amos Alede of Guma native authorities space of Benue State, with three counts for allegedly finishing up reprisal assault in opposition to the phobia suspects concerned within the Abinsi and Yelwata assaults.
Their trial, which is ongoing, earlier than Justice Nwite’s courtroom started with their arraignment in early September, with the defendants pleading not responsible.
Director Basic of the DSS, Tosin Ajayi, mentioned, “The varied arrests and trials of terrorism suspects confirmed that Nigeria’s safety businesses have been diligent in coping with the perpetrators of terror within the nation. The lads we’re prosecuting are separate from the lots of of suspects underneath the army’s protecting custody, whose instances are being dealt with by the Workplace of the Legal professional Basic of the Federation. In July final yr, 125 of the terrorists had been convicted.
“We will proceed to make the suspects accountable for disrupting the peace of our nation, in consonance with the rule of regulation.”