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Court jails captured Ansaru leader 15 years for illegal mining
Court jails captured Ansaru leader 15 years for illegal mining
By: Zagazola Makama
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced a captured leader of the proscribed Ansaru terrorist group, Mahmud Muhammed Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, to 15 years in prison for illegal mining.
Usman, from Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State, was arrested alongside another top Ansaru commander, Abubakar Abba, also known as Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri, who hails from Daura, Katsina State.
The duo were arraigned by the Department of State Services (DSS) on 32 counts bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, attacks on military formations, illegal mining, and links with foreign jihadist groups in Mali.
Of the charges, Usman pleaded guilty to count 10 on illegal mining. Presiding Judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, consequently convicted him and handed down the 15-year sentence.
Usman, popularly known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, was arrested earlier this year in a covert operation by the Department of State Services (DSS). On Thursday, he was handed a 15-year prison term by a Federal High Court in Abuja after pleading guilty to charges of illegal mining, one of the 32 terrorism-related counts brought against him.
The conviction, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, came after the DSS arraigned Usman alongside his associate, Abubakar Abba, also called Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri, a native of Daura in Katsina State. Both men were accused of playing commanding roles in Ansaru, an extremist faction that broke away from Boko Haram in 2012 and has since operated across northern Nigeria and parts of the Sahel.
Court documents presented by the DSS detailed a chilling record of crimes committed by Usman and his accomplices between 2013 and 2025. These included: Kidnappings for ransom where the duo allegedly masterminded multiple high-profile abductions, including that of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, the Magajin Garin Daura, in 2019; traditional rulers, Fulani leaders, and security officials across Katsina, Niger and Kebbi States; and several civilians, with ransom sums ranging from ₦1.5 million to ₦25 million.
They also reportedly received combat training from Al-Qaeda-linked Jama’atu Nusratil Islam Wal Muslimin (JNIM) in Mali, including in the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), arms handling and guerrilla tactics. The suspects were accused of participating in the 2022 assault on Wawa Cantonment of the Nigerian Army in New Bussa, Niger State, which left numerous casualties.
Usman, the first defendant, admitted to running mining operations that funded terrorist activities, a crime that ultimately sealed his conviction in Thursday’s proceedings.
However, despite facing a string of terrorism charges, Usman opted to plead guilty to a lesser count illegal mining under the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022. His admission allowed the court to deliver a conviction, while the other counts remain under scrutiny.
Justice Nwite, in his ruling, noted that the plea bargain did not erase the gravity of the allegations but stressed the importance of holding suspects accountable under the law. He sentenced Usman to 15 years’ imprisonment.
His co-defendant, Abubakar Abba, pleaded not guilty to all charges. The case against him continues.
The conviction bring to the fore two critical realities in Nigeria’s counter-terrorism landscape. First, it demonstrates the DSS’s capacity to track, arrest and prosecute top extremist leaders, a feat that had long eluded security forces. Second, it signals that Nigeria’s judiciary is increasingly willing to tackle terrorism cases head-on, despite their complexity.
Ansaru, once considered a weakened faction, has re-emerged in parts of north-western Nigeria in recent years, exploiting banditry networks and illicit mining to finance its operations. The group maintains links with Al-Qaeda affiliates in the Sahel, posing a dual threat to both Nigeria and regional stability.
Nigeria has in recent months accelerated its prosecution of terror suspects, with the Office of the National Security Adviser, the DSS, and the Ministry of Justice working closely to fast-track cases in Kainji in Niger and Borno states.
However, the long list of counts against Usman and Abba, including allegations of kidnappings, ransom payments, and international terror training, pointing to the scale of challenges Nigeria faces.
As one counter-terrorism analyst put it: “The conviction of an Ansaru commander is not the endgame it’s the beginning of a stronger fight against the enablers and financiers of terror in Nigeria.”
Court jails captured Ansaru leader 15 years for illegal mining
Yobe attack story false, no such incident occurred – Zagazola Fact Check
By: Zagazola Makama
The reported killing of at least 84 people in Mafa community, Tarmuwa Local Government Area of Yobe State, is false and without basis, Zagazola Fact Check can authoritatively confirm.
Contrary to claims published by a national newspaper, no such attack or mass burial took place in the community. Checks across multiple security and government sources revealed that Yobe has remained largely peaceful, with residents pursuing their daily activities.
The Yobe State Police Command, the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Affairs, and the Chairman of Tarmuwa Local Government Council have all dismissed the report, describing it as fictitious and misleading.
In a statement, Mamman Mohammed, Director-General of Press and Media Affairs to the Governor, said the publication inflicted psychological trauma on residents of Mafa community and unfairly portrayed the state as under siege.
“It is a gross disservice to journalism for a newspaper to allow its reporter to mislead Nigerians and the world with such a false, baseless and unwarranted publication,” he said.
Mohammed said the government was deeply concerned that the fabricated report could damage Yobe’s image, which has benefited from sustained peace-building efforts over the past years.
Fact-checks by Zagazola further confirmed that no police record, security briefing, record from Sector 2 Operation Hadin Kai and Theartre Command or community report supported the claims of 150 terrorists storming Mafa, nor the alleged burial of dozens of victims in Babangida. Residents contacted by Zagazola also confirmed there had been no such incident.
We wonder what motive lay behind the publication of such an unfounded story, which exists only in fiction. This reporter could put the credibility of the Newspaper on the line by circulating a report that collapses under basic scrutiny.
The public is therefore advised to disregard the report in its entirety. Yobe State, and Mafa community in particular, remain peaceful and calm.
End
AnambraDecides2025: Politicians in Anambra Cautioned Against Use of Hake Speech
By: Michael Mike
The Social and Integral Development Centre (SIDEC), has strongly cautioned political actors in Anambra State against the use of hate speech and the spread of disinformation/fakenews as the gubernatorial election approaches.
SIDEC is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that promotes democracy, transparency, and inclusive governance,
SIDEC, in a statement on Thursday, highlighted the urgency for all candidates, especially those from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), to refrain from making inflammatory remarks that could escalate tensions in the political environment.
SIDEC said political actors in Anambra State should desist from hate speech and disinformation/fake news before, during and after the Anambra Guber Poll in November 2025.
SIDEC noted that hate speech and disinformation/fakenews pose a serious threat to democratic values and social cohesion, undermining the foundation of a stable society. Promoting unity and understanding among candidates and voters.
AnambraDecides2025: Politicians in Anambra Cautioned Against Use of Hake Speech
Minister of Environment: Nigeria Working Towards Transition to Low-Sulphur Fuels
By: Michael Mike
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal has revealed that Nigeria is presently working towards the transition to low-sulphur fuels.
The Minister disclosed this in Abuja during the commemoration of the third International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies.
He said: “I am pleased to inform you that the Federal Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with other Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, as well as key stakeholders such as NNPCL, SON, and DPR, are working towards the transition to low-sulphur fuels. The Nigeria Industrial Standards (NIS) for petroleum products have been reviewed in line with AFRI IV standards and will soon be implemented.”
Lawal said: “On vehicular emissions, the Administration of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, is promoting clean air by discouraging the importation of old vehicles, encouraging local manufacturing, and advancing the adoption of alternative fuels such as CNG and LNG.
“The Government also supports the
importation of electric vehicles, efficient mass transport systems (rail and waterways), and prioritizes CNG for its low emissions and affordability, with plans for a gradual transition to hydrogen and
electric vehicles. I am further pleased to announce Government approval of a Green Hydrogen Project in partnership with UNIDO, while also developing a framework for States to establish Vehicular Emissions Testing Centres in line with global best practices.”
He also disclosed that “Ministry of Environment is advancing a National Policy on Air Quality Management alongside
the youth-led National Clean Air Programme under the slogan #BreatheEasyNigeria. With support from the Pediatric Association of
Nigeria, UNDP, and Bhustan Energy & Environmental Services, we are raising awareness using credible data and engaging young people whose fragile lungs deserve protection.”
He said: “Today, the Department of
Pollution Control and Environmental Health is signing an MoU with the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria to extend clean air
advocacy to all 774 Local Government Areas.”
He noted that the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies is aimed at raising public awareness on the essential role of clean air in survival, productivity, economic growth, and environmental sustainability. The global goal is to achieve a 50% reduction of all forms of air pollution by 2030, calling on all to commit to conscious choices that reduce air pollution—especially in their daily activities at home such as cooking.
He decried that: “Globally, air pollution is recognized as the leading environmental health risk, causing over seven million deaths annually even more than malaria and HIV/AIDS combined. Nigeria shares this burden, as air pollution is linked to stroke, heart disease, COPD, lung cancer, pneumonia, cataracts, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The cost of global inaction remains severe, with devastating impacts on health, ecosystems, and economies. In Nigeria, bush burning, vehicular emissions, gas flaring, and venting
remain major contributors to pollution with negative effects on bothhuman health and ecosystems.”
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mahmud Kambari had said the
National Clean Air Programme represents a coordinated framework to protect our environment, safeguard public health, and align with global best practices.
He added that: “Today, we are witnessing groundbreaking innovative solutions that make it easier for every Nigerian to get involved in our mission to tackle air pollution. Together, we can turn the tide on this silent killer. Let’s work together and Breathe Easily.”
Minister of Environment: Nigeria Working Towards Transition to Low-Sulphur Fuels
Yobe attack story false, no such incident occurred – Zagazola Fact Check
AnambraDecides2025: Politicians in Anambra Cautioned Against Use of Hake Speech
Minister of Environment: Nigeria Working Towards Transition to Low-Sulphur Fuels
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