An Abuja-based Federal High Court has convicted and sentenced Mahmud Usman, one of the commanders of Ansaru, a proscribed terrorist organisation to 15 years in prison.
After the Department of State Services (DSS) arraigned him in court, Usman pleaded guilty to the charge of illegal mining activities.
He said the illegal dealings in mining enabled him to acquire arms for terrorism and kidnapping purposes.
The trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, however, ordered the defendant to be remanded in the custody of the DSS pending his trial for 31 other charges preferred against him by the service.
In a 32- count charge filed before the Federal High` Court, Usman and Abubakar Abba were alleged to have committed acts of terrorism sometimes in 2022 by attacking Wawa Cantonment of the Nigerian Army in Kainji, New Bussa, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
They are also alleged to have received training in weapons handling and fabrication of improvised explosive devices (IED) from various terrorists camps.
They were also accused of receiving training in war tactics from a terrorist organization in Mali.
Following the sentencing, Justice Nwite fixed 21st of October for trial.
The DSS accuses the commanders of masterminding the July 2022 Kuje prison attack, which freed more than 600 inmates.
They were also accused of planning the Niger uranium facility attack and multiple kidnappings, including that of French engineer Francis Collomp in 2013.
Apart from that, they also committed other alleged crimes including the 2019 abduction of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, Magajin Garin Daura, and several armed robberies.
