The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Mahmud Usman, a commander of the proscribed terrorist group Ansaru, to 15 years in prison for his role in illegal mining operations that prosecutors say funded terrorism and kidnapping across Nigeria.
Justice Emeka Nwite handed down the sentence on Thursday after Usman pleaded guilty. The court heard that proceeds from the illegal mining activities were used to procure arms and sustain violent attacks.
While the conviction marks a significant legal victory, questions remain: will this judgment weaken the financing channels of terrorist groups, or is it only a symbolic step in a wider battle?
The court also ordered that Usman remain in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), pending trial on 31 additional charges filed against him by the Federal Government. His trial continues on October 21, 2025.
Usman and another suspect, Abubakar Abba, are jointly facing a 32-count charge that links them to multiple terror-related activities. According to the DSS, they were behind:
The 2022 attack on the Nigerian Army’s Wawa Cantonment in Niger State, which claimed several lives.
The July 2022 Kuje prison attack, which freed more than 600 inmates.
Plots to target a uranium facility in Niger Republic.
The 2013 kidnapping of French engineer Francis Collomp and the 2019 abduction of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, Magajin Garin Daura.
Investigators also allege that both men underwent training in weapons handling, IED fabrication, and war tactics from a terrorist group based in Mali.
With terrorism in Nigeria often tied to funding from illicit activities such as mining, smuggling, and ransom payments, analysts say Usman’s conviction raises an important question: can cutting off one financier truly weaken the networks that sustain violent groups, or does the problem run deeper than one commander?
Sunday Buna Ibrahim is a seasoned journalist with Daily Frontier (dailyfrontier.com.ng), where he reports on security, conflicts, and humanitarian issues across Nigeria’s Middle Belt, particularly Plateau and Benue States. He also serves as a News Producer at Vision FM Radio in Abuja. Prior to joining Daily Frontier, he worked with Radio Nigeria, Fombina FM Yola in Adamawa State between 2019 and 2020.
