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The two top leaders of the Ansaru terrorist organization, which is associated with Al-Qaeda, will be arraigned by the Federal Government at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday.

Mahmud Muhammed Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, and his deputy, Abubakar Abba, also known as Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri, are the two commanders.

On a 32-count accusation that borders on terrorism, Abu Bara’a and Mahmud Al-Nigeri, also known as Mallam Mamuda, will be arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite.

Mahmud Al-Nigeri is the second defendant in the charge with the number FHC/ABJ/CR/464/2025, whereas Abu Bara’a is the first defendant.

On behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice, M.B. Abubakar, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, dated and filed the charge on September 4.

According to count one, Mahmud Al-Nigeri, from Daura LGA in Katsina State, and Abu Bara’a, from Kogi State’s Okene Local Government Area, LGA, were accused of aiding and abetting terrorist operations between 2013 and 2015.

The couple were accused of planning amongst themselves and agreeing to be part of the creation and senior commanders of the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fii Bilaadis Sudan (aka JAMBS/Ansaru), a proscribed terrorist group in Nigeria.

“You thereby commit an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013 and punishable under the same Section of the Act,” the charge read in part.

The defendants were charged in counts three and four with getting training from different terrorist camps on how to handle weapons and create improvised explosive devices, or IEDs.

By getting training on combat techniques from Jama’atu Nusratil Islami Wal Muslimin, often known as JNIM, a terrorist organization in Mali, count five allegedly performed an act preparatory to acts of terrorism.

Additionally, count seven accused the suspects of being involved in the attack that caused numerous casualties at the Nigerian Army’s Wawa Cantonment in Kainji, New-Bussa, Borgu LGA, Niger State, at some point in 2022.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, between May and July 2025, Nigeria’s security and intelligence agencies carried out a high-risk, intelligence-led operation that resulted in the detention of Abu Bara’a and Mahmud Al-Nigeri.

While briefing reporters in Abuja on August 16, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, made the statement.

The men who were arrested, according to Ribadu, were on both international and national terror watch lists.

The terrorist organization Ansaru was accused of carrying out a number of high-profile assaults and kidnappings throughout the nation.

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