DSS to Appeal Life Sentences for Ansaru Commanders, Seeks Death Penalty

DSS to Appeal Life Sentences for Ansaru Commanders, Seeks Death Penalty

  • Metro
  • July 22, 2026
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The Department of State Services (DSS) has announced plans to appeal the life imprisonment sentences handed down to two senior commanders of the Ansaru terrorist group, arguing that the punishment does not reflect the gravity of their crimes.

A Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, on Monday sentenced Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara'a, Abbas, or Mukhtar, the self-proclaimed Emir of Ansaru, and Abubakar Abba, also known as Mahmud al-Nigeri or Malam Mamuda, to life imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to all 32 terrorism-related charges brought against them by the Federal Government through the DSS.

The charges included terrorism, terrorism financing, kidnapping for ransom, illegal mining, fabrication of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and other offences connected to terrorist activities.

Justice Nwite sentenced both men to life imprisonment on counts 30 and 31, while also imposing 20-year prison terms on the remaining counts. The court ordered that the sentences on the other counts should take effect from the date of their arrest.

However, a senior DSS official, speaking on the development, described the life sentences as inadequate and disclosed that the agency would challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal in pursuit of the death penalty.

According to the official, the agency found it significant that both defendants altered their legal strategy while the kidnapping of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State was ongoing.
The official alleged that before the abduction, the suspects had maintained not guilty pleas. During the court proceedings, they reportedly became undecided on how to plead, prompting Justice Nwite to direct them to make a final decision before Monday's hearing.

The DSS further claimed that the kidnappers demanded the unconditional release of the two Ansaru commanders as part of negotiations for the release of the abducted pupils and teachers.

According to the official, following the successful rescue of the victims after nearly 60 days in captivity, the two defendants appeared in court and pleaded guilty to all charges.

The DSS also linked the case to the killing of two teachers abducted during the Oriire incident, alleging that the victims were beheaded after the government refused to release the detained Ansaru leaders.

The agency argued that imposing only life imprisonment on the convicted terrorists would not adequately reflect the severity of the offences or deliver justice to the families of those who lost their lives.

The DSS said it would therefore appeal the judgment, seeking a stiffer punishment for the convicted Ansaru commanders.