JUST-IN: Court Jails Ansaru Commander 15 Years Over Illegal Mining

A Federal High Court sitting successful Abuja connected Thursday sentenced Mahmud Usman, a commandant of the proscribed violent group, Ansaru to 15 years successful situation for amerciable mining activities utilized to concern terrorism.

Justice Emeka Nwite, who delivered the judgment, held that Usman’s mining operations straight aided the acquisition of arms for coercion and kidnapping.

The court, however, ordered his continued custody with the Department of State Services (DSS) arsenic helium inactive faces 31 different terrorism-related charges.

Usman was arraigned alongside Abubakar Abba successful a 32-count complaint implicit accusations of launching violent attacks successful 2022, including the deadly battle connected Wawa Cantonment of the Nigerian Army successful New Bussa, Niger State, which led to wide casualties.

The prosecution further alleged that the defendants received grooming successful weapons handling and successful the fabrication of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from violent camps.

They were besides said to person acquired warfare tactics grooming from a violent organisation successful Mali.

According to the DSS, Usman and his associates masterminded the July 2022 Kuje situation attack, wherever much than 600 inmates were freed.

They besides allegedly planned to onslaught the Niger uranium installation and carried retired aggregate kidnappings, including the abduction of French technologist Francis Collomp successful 2013.

In addition, the suspected terrorists were accused of orchestrating the 2019 kidnapping of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, the Magajin Garin Daura, and committing respective equipped robberies crossed the country.

Justice Nwite fixed October 21 for the continuation of the coercion trial.

Meanwhile, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, precocious confirmed the apprehension of the violent organisation’s commanders, attributing their arrests to coordinated information operations.

Ribadu identified Usman arsenic the “self-styled Emir of Ansaru” and “coordinator of respective violent sleeper cells crossed the country.”

He added that Usman worked intimately with his subordinate Mamuda, whom helium described arsenic his “Chief of Staff,” starring the “Mahmudawa cell” astir Kainji National Park.

Ansaru, a splinter radical from Boko Haram, emerged successful Kano successful 2012 and has since been liable for galore violent attacks and kidnappings crossed Nigeria.