By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
The Department of State Services (DSS) says ongoing prosecutions of several high-profile terror suspects across the country underscore the agency’s resolve to ensure justice against those responsible for deadly attacks and acts of terrorism in Nigeria.
The secret police said the trials, some of which are at advanced stages, demonstrate the commitment of Nigeria’s security and intelligence community to dismantle terrorist networks operating within and outside the country.
Among the prominent cases is that of two suspected leaders of the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, commonly known as ANSARU, an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Nigeria.
On November 19, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja will continue the trial of Mahmud Muhammad Usman and Abubakar Abba, who are said to be wanted internationally.
Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, and Abba, also called Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeria, were arrested in July after several months of surveillance in a high-risk, intelligence-led counter-terrorism operation.
The duo are believed to be among the top leaders of ANSARU. Usman, described as the self-styled Emir of the group, allegedly coordinated several terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria and masterminded numerous high-profile kidnappings and robberies used to fund terrorist activities.
His deputy, Abba, was said to have led the “Mahmudawa” cell, which operated around the Kainji National Park on the border between Niger and Kwara states, extending into the Republic of Benin.
According to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Usman received training in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under jihadist instructors from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria. He reportedly specialised in weapons handling and the fabrication of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Both suspects are currently facing a 32-count terrorism charge, on which they were arraigned in August. One of the counts related to illegal mining, to which Usman pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. Abba, however, pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The DSS is also prosecuting Khalid Al-Barnawi, believed to be the mastermind of the August 26, 2011 bombing of the United Nations Complex in Abuja, which killed 20 people and injured more than 70 others.
Al-Barnawi, arrested in 2016, is facing trial alongside four others—Mohammed Bashir Saleh, Umar Mohammed Bello (aka Datti), Mohammed Salisu, and Yakubu Nuhu (aka Bello Maishayi).
The trial, which had suffered prolonged delays due to procedural challenges, including lack of legal representation for some defendants, has now resumed following a request by the DSS for accelerated hearing.
Justice Nwite granted the request, and during proceedings on October 23 and 24, a trial-within-trial was conducted, with videos of the defendants’ confessional statements played in court.
In another case, the DSS arraigned five men on August 11 over their alleged involvement in the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, where over 40 people were killed and more than 100 others injured.
The accused Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar—are facing a nine-count terrorism charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/301/2025.
They are accused of belonging to the Al-Shabab terrorist group, which reportedly maintains a cell in Kogi State, and of carrying out the attack in furtherance of their extremist ideology.
All five pleaded not guilty when the charges were read, after which Justice Nwite ordered that they remain in DSS custody.
Their request for bail was later rejected on September 10, with the court ruling that the offences were capital in nature and that the defendants posed a flight risk. The judge upheld the DSS argument that the evidence against them was strong and undisputed.
Justice Nwite also agreed with the prosecution that the DSS claim the suspects might jump bail had not been challenged by the defence.
Similarly, the DSS has filed charges against several suspects connected to the June 13, 2025 Yelwata massacre in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, where dozens of people were killed and 107 others injured.
The attack drew global condemnation, prompting President Bola Tinubu to visit the state and direct the immediate arrest of those responsible.
On June 24, 2025, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, announced the arrest of 26 suspects in connection with the massacre.
In August 2025, the DSS filed terrorism-related charges against nine suspects at the Federal High Court, Abuja. Two of them Haruna Adamu and Muhammad Abdullahi from Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State were charged with four counts of terrorism, including concealing information about planned attacks in Abinsi and Yelwata villages.
The agency also filed six separate charges against other suspects Musa Beniyon, Bako Malowa, Ibrahim Tunga, Asara Ahnadu, Legu Musa, Adamu Yale, Boddi Ayuba, and Pyeure Damina who are now undergoing trial.
In addition, two others, Terkende Ashuwa and Amos Alede of Guma Local Government Area, were charged with three counts for allegedly carrying out a reprisal attack against the terror suspects involved in the same incident.
Their trial began in early September, with both defendants pleading not guilty before Justice Nwite’s court.
Speaking on the ongoing cases, the Director General of the DSS, Tosin Ajayi, said the arrests and prosecutions show Nigeria’s seriousness in fighting terrorism through due process.
“The various arrests and trials of terrorism suspects show that Nigeria’s security agencies have been diligent in dealing with perpetrators of terror in the country,” Ajayi said.
“The men we are prosecuting are separate from the hundreds of suspects under the military’s protective custody, whose cases are being handled by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation. In July last year, 125 of the terrorists were convicted.
“We shall continue to make the suspects accountable for disrupting the peace of our country, in consonance with the rule of law.”
The DSS reaffirmed that it remains committed to ensuring peace and stability through intelligence-led operations and lawful prosecution of those responsible for acts of terror.