Sentencing of Mahmud Muhammad Usman, the presumed leader of the jihadist group Ansaru, to 15 years in prison for illegal mining activities

Justice Delivered: Mahmud Muhammad Usman Sentenced to 15 Years for Terror Financing Through Illegal Mining

In a landmark ruling that underscores Nigeria’s intensifying crackdown on terrorism financing, the Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Mahmud Muhammad Usman, the presumed leader of the jihadist group Ansaru, to 15 years in prison for engaging in illegal mining activities.

The conviction marks a significant milestone in the government’s efforts to dismantle the financial networks that sustain extremist violence across the country.

Usman, also known by aliases such as Abu Bara’a, Abbas, and Mukhtar, pleaded guilty to charges that he operated illicit mining ventures to fund the procurement of arms used in terrorist and kidnapping operations.

Justice Emeka Nwite, who presided over the case, ruled that Usman’s mining activities directly facilitated the acquisition of weapons and explosives, thereby enabling a series of violent attacks attributed to Ansaru.

The court ordered that Usman remain in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) pending trial on 31 additional terrorism-related charges, including murder, kidnapping, and attacks on critical infrastructure.

Ansaru, a splinter faction of Boko Haram that emerged in 2012, has long been associated with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. The group is notorious for its involvement in high-profile kidnappings, armed robberies, and assaults on security formations.

Among the most egregious incidents linked to Usman and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri (also known as Mallam Mamuda), is the July 2022 Kuje prison break in Abuja, which resulted in the escape of over 600 inmates, including dozens of Boko Haram fighters.

The duo is also accused of orchestrating the deadly 2022 attack on Wawa Cantonment in Niger State and planning an assault on Niger’s uranium facility.

Court documents reveal that Usman and his associates received advanced training in weapons handling, guerrilla tactics, and improvised explosive device (IED) fabrication in terrorist camps located in Mali and Libya.

These skills were deployed in a series of coordinated attacks across Nigeria, including the 2013 kidnapping of French engineer Francis Collomp and the 2019 abduction of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, Magajin Garin Daura.

The DSS has described Usman as the “self-styled Emir of Ansaru” and the “coordinator of several terrorist sleeper cells across the country,” with his deputy Mamuda serving as “Chief of Staff” of the Mahmudawa cell operating near Kainji National Park.

The sentencing of Usman is the first conviction among a 32-count indictment filed against him and his co-conspirators. It sends a strong message about Nigeria’s resolve to disrupt the economic lifelines of terrorist organizations.

While the illegal mining conviction may seem peripheral compared to the gravity of the other charges, it highlights the strategic importance of financial crimes in sustaining extremist networks.

The trial on the remaining charges is scheduled to resume on October 21, and observers anticipate further revelations about the operational depth of Ansaru and its links to transnational jihadist movements.

As Nigeria continues to grapple with complex security challenges, the conviction of Mahmud Muhammad Usman represents a critical step in the broader campaign to restore peace and stability. It also reflects a growing recognition that terrorism is not only fought on the battlefield but also in courtrooms, where financial enablers and ideological architects are held to account.