On November 19, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja will continue the trial of two terrorism suspects, Mahmud Muhammad Usman and Abubakar Abba, who are wanted internationally.
Usman (aka Abu Bara’a) and Abba (aka Isah Adam and Mahmud Al-Nigeri) were captured in a high-risk, intelligence-led, counter-terrorism operation in July by the Department of State Services (DSS) (statutorily known as the Sate Security Service, SSS), after several months of chasing them.
The two are believed to be leaders of the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, commonly known as ANSARU, Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate.
Usman, the self-styled Emir of ANSARU, allegedly coordinated various terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria. He is also believed to have masterminded several high-profile kidnappings and robberies, the proceeds of which were used to finance terrorism over the years.
Abba, Usman’s chief of staff and deputy, is a
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