A federal high court in Abuja has scheduled January 15, 2026, for the trial of two men accused of leading Ansaru, an Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group.
Gatekeepers News reports that the defendants, Mahmud Usman (also known as Abu Bara’a/Abbas/Mukhtar), reportedly the self-styled emir of Ansaru, and Mahmud al-Nigeri (aka Malam Mamuda), his deputy and chief of staff, face a 32-count terrorism charge after being arraigned on September 11.
The trial, initially set to start Wednesday, was postponed by Justice Employees eka Nwite following a defence request for more time to access case files.
Defence counsel B. I. Bakum explained that the charge sheet and evidence remain with the Department of State Services (DSS), where the suspects are held, and asked for their transfer to a correctional facility for smoother proceedings.
Prosecution lawyer David Kaswe opposed the request, noting that DSS protocol requires formal written applications copied to the prosecution before visiting detainees, and insisted the trial proceed as planned since witnesses were present.
Justice Nwite granted the defence request in the interest of fair hearing, adjourning the trial to January 15 and directing the defence to follow proper DSS procedures while keeping the prosecution informed.
