Trials of High-Profile Terrorism Suspects Ongoing – DSS Confirms
The Department of State Services (DSS) has provided an update on the prosecution of several high-profile terrorism suspects, emphasizing the agency’s commitment to holding perpetrators accountable under the law.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja is scheduled to continue the trial of Mahmud Muhammad Usman (aka Abu Bara’a) and Abubakar Abba (aka Isah Adam and Mahmud Al-Nigeri) on November 19.
The two suspects, captured in July during a high-risk, intelligence-led counter-terrorism operation, are believed to be leaders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU), Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate. According to the DSS, Usman, who styled himself as the Emir of ANSARU, coordinated terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria and masterminded kidnappings and robberies, using proceeds to fund terrorist activities. Abba, his deputy, allegedly led the “Mahmudawa” cell operating around Kainji National Park in Niger and Kwara states, extending into the Republic of Benin.
The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has previously reported that Usman received specialized training in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadist instructors from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria, focusing on weapons handling and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) (DSS, 2025). Both suspects are facing a 32-count terrorism charge. Usman has pleaded guilty to a count related to illegal mining, for which he received a 15-year sentence, while Abba pleaded not guilty to all charges.
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In a separate case, the DSS is prosecuting Khalid Al-Barnawi, accused of masterminding the August 26, 2011 bombing of the United Nations Complex in Abuja, which killed 20 people and injured more than 70. Captured in 2016, Al-Barnawi is facing trial alongside four other suspects: Mohammed Bashir Saleh, Umar Mohammed Bello (aka Datti), Mohammed Salisu, and Yakubu Nuhu (aka Bello Maishayi). The trial has faced delays due to procedural issues, including appearances without legal counsel, though the DSS recently secured accelerated hearings approved by Justice Nwite (DSS, 2025).
The agency has also arraigned five individuals linked to the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, in which over 40 people were killed and more than 100 injured. The suspects—Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar—are charged with terrorism-related offenses, including membership of an Al-Shabaab cell operating in Kogi State. All pleaded not guilty, and Justice Nwite denied their bail requests, citing the capital nature of the charges and the strength of the evidence presented (DSS, 2025).
Additionally, the DSS is prosecuting suspects involved in the June 13, 2025 Yelwata massacre in Guma Local Government Area, Benue State, which left dozens dead and 107 injured. Following investigations, nine suspects were arraigned before the Federal High Court, while two, Haruna Adamu and Muhammad Abdullahi, remain at large. Other defendants include Musa Beniyon, Bako Malowa, Ibrahim Tunga, Asara Ahnadu, Legu Musa, Adamu Yale, Boddi Ayuba, and Pyeure Damina. Two further suspects, Terkende Ashuwa and Amos Alede, face separate charges for alleged reprisal attacks following the massacre. All defendants have pleaded not guilty (DSS, 2025).
DSS Director-General Tosin Ajayi stated: “The various arrests and trials of terrorism suspects show that Nigeria’s security agencies have been diligent in dealing with the perpetrators of terror in the country. The men we are prosecuting are separate from the hundreds of suspects under the military’s protective custody, whose cases are being handled by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation. In July last year, 125 of the terrorists were convicted. We shall continue to make the suspects accountable for disrupting the peace of our country, in consonance with the rule of law” (DSS, 2025).
The DSS emphasized that all prosecutions are part of a broader strategy to restore security, deter terrorism, and uphold the rule of law in Nigeria.
By PRNigeria
