The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Abubakar Abba, commander of the Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group Ansaru, and his co-defendant, Mahmud Usman, to life imprisonment over terrorism-related offences.

Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the judgment on Monday after both men pleaded guilty to a 32-count charge filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) on behalf of the Federal Government.

The court sentenced the two convicts to life imprisonment on counts 30 and 31, while imposing 20-year prison terms on the remaining charges. Justice Nwite ordered that the sentences for the other counts should run from the date of their arrest.

Abba, also known as Abu Bara, and Usman, who is also known as Isah Adam or Mahmud, were arrested in separate DSS operations between May and July 2025.

They were prosecuted for offences including terrorism, terrorism financing, kidnapping for ransom, illegal mining, funding terrorist activities, manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), coordinating sleeper cells, planning attacks, and maintaining links with terrorist groups operating in the Sahel and Maghreb regions.

Before the latest judgment, Usman had earlier pleaded guilty to a separate count of illegal mining to finance terrorism and arms procurement, for which he was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment.