A Federal High Court, Abuja has given a suspected Commander of Ansaru, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group, Abubakar Abba (a.k.a. Abu Bara) up till July 20 to decide on whether or not to change his earlier not guilty plea.
Abba is being prosecuted along with Mahmud Usman (a.k.a. Isah Adam, Mahmud Al-Nigeri) by the Department of the State Service (DSS) on a 32-count terrorism charge.
Our correspondent in Abuja reported that Usman had, during their arraignment earlier this year, pleaded guilty to a count of illegal mining for funding terrorism/arms and was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.
He pleaded not guilty to the other 31 counts. The co-defendant, Abba pleaded not guilty to all the 32 counts.
At yesterday’s hearing, Abba informed the court of his intention to withdraw his earlier not guilty plea. But after a brief consultation with his lawyer, Husseina Tukur, he told the court that he was still undecided on whether to change his plea or retain the earlier one.
Replying , prosecuting lawyer, David Kaswe opposed any adjournment. He argued that the defendant had made a similar request at the last sitting.
He urged the court to proceed with the trial should the defendant fail to make up his mind on what to do.
Ruling, Justice Emeka Nwite noted that since Abba was raising the issue before the court for the first time, the defendant should be given the opportunity to make up his mind.
Justice Nwite then, adjourned till July 20 for Abba to decide on what to do and for continuation of hearing.
Our correspondent further learnt that the defendants were arrested in separate operations between May and July 2025 by the DSS.
They were charged with many offences including terrorism and terrorism financing, kidnapping for ransom, illegal mining, funding terrorism, fabricating Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), among other charges.
The two defendants were equally accused of coordinating sleeper cells, attacks, and maintaining ties with terrorist groups in the Sahel/Maghreb region.
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