The Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted Mahmud Usman, a senior commander of the proscribed Ansaru terrorist group, and sentenced him to 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to charges involving illegal mining to fund arms procurement for terrorism and kidnappings.

Usman, who styled himself as the "Emir of Ansaru" and is also known by aliases including Abu Bara’a, Abbas, and Mukhtar, entered the plea during his arraignment on Thursday before Justice Emeka Nwite. The Department of State Services (DSS) accused him of using proceeds from unauthorized mining operations to acquire weapons and support violent activities, including the group's coordination of attacks and recruitments. The court ordered Usman to remain in DSS custody pending his trial on 31 additional terrorism-related charges, with the next hearing set for October 21, 2025.

Usman appeared in court alongside his deputy and chief of staff, Mahmud al-Nigeri (also known as Malam Mamuda), as both face a 32-count indictment for leading the terrorist organization, financing its operations, recruiting fighters, and orchestrating violent incidents across Nigeria. Ansaru, a 2012 splinter group from Boko Haram with alleged ties to Al-Qaeda, has been blamed for high-profile kidnappings—such as those of French engineer Francis Collomp in 2013 and Alhaji Musa Umar Uba in 2019—armed robberies, and assaults on security forces.

Authorities have linked Ansaru militants directly to the July 5, 2022, attack on Kuje Prison in Abuja, where gunmen used explosives and gunfire to breach the facility, freeing over 600 inmates, including at least 64 Boko Haram suspects. The raid exposed significant security lapses at the medium-security prison and prompted widespread criticism of Nigeria's correctional system. Usman and al-Nigeri are also accused of masterminding a deadly 2022 assault on the Nigerian Army's Wawa Cantonment in Niger State, which caused multiple casualties, as well as plotting an attack on a uranium facility in Niger. Court documents further allege that Usman and associate Abubakar Abba received training in weapons handling, bomb-making, and guerrilla tactics at camps in Nigeria, Mali, and Libya.

National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu recently described Usman as the coordinator of multiple terrorist sleeper cells nationwide and the architect of several funding schemes through kidnappings and robberies. Al-Nigeri reportedly led the "Mahmudawa" cell operating near Kainji National Park. The DSS emphasized that the convictions underscore ongoing efforts to dismantle Ansaru's network, which has contributed to instability in northern Nigeria.

The sentencing marks a significant win for counter-terrorism operations in Nigeria, where groups like Ansaru continue to pose threats despite military crackdowns.