THE Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday, convicted and sentenced Mahmud Usman, one of the proscribed terrorist organisation, Ansaru, to a 15-year imprisonment for illegal mining activities.
Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order after Usman, a.k.a Abu Bara’a/Abbas Mukhtar, pleaded guilty to count 10 of the 32-count terrorism charge preferred against him and his deputy commander, Abubakar Abba, a.k.a Isah Adam/Mahmud Al-Nigeri.
Justice Nwite also ordered the convict to be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) pending his trial for the 31 counts in which he pleaded not guilty.
The order followed the application by the Federal Government’s counsel, M.B. Abubakar, who is the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, citing national security concerns.
Newsextra24 reports that Usman and Abba, in count 10, were alleged to have, sometimes between 2015 and 2025 committed the illegal mining offence.
They were accused to have mined precious minerals such as thunder and california stones without lawful authority.
The offence, according to the Federal Government, is contrary to and punishable under Section 8(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, LFN 2004, and punishable under the same Section of the Act.
Although Usman pleaded guilty to count 10, Abba, who is a deputy commander of the terrorist group, did not when the whole counts were read to them.
The judge consequently adjourned the matter until Sept. 21 for trial.
Newsextra24 had, on Wednesday, reported that the two top leaders of Ansaru, an Al-Qaeda affiliated network, would be arraigned today before Justice Nwite.
