Two suspected commanders of the terrorist group Ansaru, Mahmud Usman and Abubakar Abba, have admitted receiving weapons and explosives training in Libya, a State Security Service (SSS) operative told the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday.
The witness, appearing under the codename “Triple A,” testified as the first prosecution witness in the terrorism trial, explaining that the confessions were made in a “conducive atmosphere” without coercion.
According to Triple A, the suspects received training in the manufacture of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from instructors from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria while in Libya.
Usman, identified as the leader of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), pleaded guilty to one of 32 terrorism-related charges linked to kidnappings, armed robbery, illegal mining, and terrorist attacks across Nigeria between 2013 and 2015.
He was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment.
His co-defendant, Abba, pleaded not guilty to all 32 counts and was remanded in the SSS facility in Abuja, pending trial.
The SSS operative further revealed that both men confessed to founding Ansaru in Jigawa State in 2012 and admitted involvement in multiple kidnappings, including the abduction of an in-law of former President Muhammadu Buhari, as well as a customs and immigration officer.
Triple A also testified that Abba joined Boko Haram in 2013 and later swore allegiance to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) in Mali, which supplied the group with arms, ammunition, and tactical training.
He added that before his arrest, Abba left six fighters in a camp in Babana Forest, which was reportedly used for terrorist operations.
The defence lawyer, Bala Dakum, challenged the admissibility of the confessional statements, arguing they were not voluntarily made.
Prosecution counsel David Kaswe countered, insisting the confessions were obtained legally in the presence of a Legal Aid Council lawyer.
Judge Emeka Nwite subsequently ordered a trial-within-trial to determine whether the confessions could be admitted as evidence. The case has been adjourned to April 13.
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