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  • Suspected Ansaru leaders Usman, Abba’s terrorism trial postponed till November 19 ‎

    Suspected Ansaru leaders Usman, Abba’s terrorism trial postponed till November 19 ‎

    ‎The ongoing terrorism trial of two suspected leaders of the Ansaru terrorist group, an Al-Qaeda-linked organisation – Mahmud Muhammed Usman (aka Abu Bara’a/Abbas Mukhtar) and Abubakar Abba (aka Isah Adam/Mahmud Al-Nigeri) – has been postponed till November 19.

    On Tuesday, Justice Emeka Nwite postponed the hearing earlier scheduled for the day owing to the absence of the lawyer for the prosecution.

    When the case was called on Tuesday, Justice Nwite noted that the lawyer to the prosecution, Mohammed Abubakar wrote a letter to the court, apologising for his inability to attend court.

    Abubakar, in the letter, sought an adjournment to enable him attend court on the next date to enable him personally conduct the trial.

    Lawyers to the defendants did not object, following which Justice Nwite adjourned till November 19 for the commencement of trial.

    Usman said to be from Okene Local Government Area, Kogi State and Abba said to be from Daura Local Government Area of Katsina State are being prosecuted on a 32-count charge brought against them by the Department of State Services (DSS).

    Read Also: Alake: Ansaru commander’s conviction is victory over illegal mining

    At their arraignment on September 11 on the charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/464/2025, Usman pleaded guilty to a count, in which he was accused of involvement in illegal mining activities.

    Usman and Abba pleaded not guilty to the other 31 counts relating to terrorism allegations.

    Following Usman’s guilty plea to count 10 of the 32-count charge, Justice Nwite convicted him on that count and sentenced him to 15 years imprisonment.

    Justice Nwite ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the DSS and adjourned till October 21 for trial.

    Usman and Abba are accused, in the charge, of among others, being involved in the bombing Wawa Military Cantonment in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, receiving training in weapon handling and fabrication of improvised explosive devices. 

    They are also alleged to belonged to foreign terror groups; engaged in terrorism financing, kidnapping and receiving training on war tactic from a terrorising organization in Mali. 

    The DSS also accused them of kidnapping a Custom officer and another Immigration Officer, who was killed while in their custody.

    The DSS alleged that the defendants collected ransom in millions of naira from the families of their victims before they were eventually arrested.

    The defendants were also alleged to have engaged in unlawful mining of mineral resources without valid license from which they also made millions of naira. 

    The DSS claimed that the huge sums they realised from kidnapping and unlawful minerals mining were deployed to the procurement of arms and ammunitions, including improvised explosive devices. 

    It also alleged that both defendants received training on terrorism and war tactics in Sudan and Mali and also facilitated similar training for their followers. 

    Usman and Abba are also accused of concealing information on terror attacks on various locations in Niger State.

  • Fall of Ansaru leaders is a giant leap against terrorism

    Fall of Ansaru leaders is a giant leap against terrorism

    • By Ya’u Mukhtar Madobi

    Sir: Nigeria recently recorded a historic victory in its war against terrorism, underscoring the growing strength of the country’s intelligence network and operational capabilities. A few weeks ago, security agencies successfully captured two top commanders of Ansaru, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group that has long terrorized Nigeria and its neighbours. This breakthrough is more than just another win against non-state actors—it is a decisive step towards dismantling one of the most lethal terror franchises in West Africa.

    The arrest of these kingpins, achieved after months of coordinated intelligence operations, signals that Nigeria is increasingly adopting proactive and intelligence-driven strategies that disrupt threats at their roots rather than merely reacting to attacks.

    Ansaru emerged in 2012 as a splinter faction from Boko Haram. From inception, it aligned itself with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and operated through covert sleeper cells and forest hideouts across northern Nigeria.

    The two men captured between May and July stands out as some of the most dangerous figures in Nigeria’s recent history. Mahmud Muhammad Usman, better known as Abu Bara’a, served as the self-proclaimed Emir of Ansaru and was long considered the spiritual and operational head of the group. His deputy and Chief of Staff, Mahmud al-Nigeri, also known as Mallam Mamuda, was notorious for overseeing training camps and operational logistics.

    Both men had evaded capture for years, topping Nigeria’s most-wanted list while simultaneously appearing on international watch-lists for masterminding high-profile terrorist attacks and kidnappings. Their trail of atrocities is long and bloody—from the 2022 Kuje Prison break, to the attack on a uranium facility in Niger Republic, the abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp in 2013, the 2019 kidnapping of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, Magajin Garin Daura, and the abduction of the Emir of Wawa in Niger State.

    Beyond these incidents, intelligence reports confirm that the duo maintained active ties with terrorist groups in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—connections that link Nigeria’s insurgency to the wider jihadist networks destabilizing Africa’s Sahel region.

    Read Also: Military eliminates terrorists, arrests 13, rescues 15 in nationwide crackdown

    So when National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu announced the arrests on August 16, he rightly described the operation as a “decisive blow” against Ansaru and a major milestone in Nigeria’s war on terror. Neutralizing the group’s central command, he emphasized, has significantly degraded its ability to plan and execute large-scale attacks.

    Recall that prior to the arrest of Ansaru top commanders, the operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) had earlier arrested a terrorist kingpin, Abubakar Abba, the suspected senior commander of the Mahmuda terrorists’ group, operating across states in the North-central.

    Abba, believed to be the supreme leader of the group, who had been active along the Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State and its suburbs and parts of Kwara State in the past months, in particular, was said to have been arrested in Wawa town in Borgu. This is yet another significant milestone as per as counter-terrorism is concerned.

    While these feats deserve national celebration, it also calls for sober reflection. Arresting high-profile leaders is only one layer of defeating terrorism. Sustainable security requires dismantling the foundations that enable such groups to survive and regenerate.

    This means blocking their financial lifelines—whether from kidnappings-for-ransom, smuggling, or illicit mining revenues—while addressing their recruitment pipelines by countering extremist narratives through education, community engagement, and de-radicalization programs.

    Equally vital is strengthening border surveillance to curb arms trafficking, while leveraging drones and data analytics for predictive intelligence. These steps must form part of Nigeria’s wider counter-terrorism strategy.

    By doing so, Nigeria will not only safeguard its territorial integrity but also reinforce its emerging role as a regional leader in counter-terrorism. Already, the capture of Ansaru’s leaders has sent a strong signal across terrorist camps in Africa that Nigeria is no longer a safe haven for jihadist networks.

    Nonetheless, terrorism remains an adaptive threat. Groups splinter, mutate, and re-emerge if pressure eases. That is why the arrest of Abu Bara’a and Mallam Mamuda must be treated not as the end of a struggle but as the beginning of an intensified campaign.

    What must follow is the complete dismantling of their remnants, disruption of their financing structures, and the strengthening of governance in vulnerable communities. If Nigeria sustains this momentum—combining intelligence precision, military might, and socio-economic resilience—terror groups will not just be weakened but dismantled beyond recovery.

    •Ya’u Mukhtar Madobi,

    Kano.

  • The fall of Ansaru

    The fall of Ansaru

    • By Senator Iroegbu

    Nigeria’s security landscape has begun to shift. Terrorists are surrendering, warlords are falling, oil production is recovering, and communities once silenced by fear are slowly reclaiming public space.

    The latest and perhaps most consequential breakthrough is the capture of two of the most notorious terrorist kingpins in northern Nigeria. The resilience and determination of the Nigerian people in the face of such challenges are genuinely inspiring. After months of painstaking intelligence work, Nigerian security forces apprehended Mahmud Muhammad Usman, the self-styled “Emir of Ansaru,” and his deputy Mahmud al-Nigeri (Malam Mahmuda)—the mastermind of the Mahmuda terrorist group that had long tormented Borgu, a geo-cultural region stretching across Niger, Kebbi, northern Kwara, and spilling into the Benin Republic. Their arrest has effectively dismantled the command structure of the al-Qaeda-linked Ansaru group, notorious for kidnappings, assassinations, and extremist propaganda.

    For years, Ansaru posed a unique threat—blending local grievances with global jihadist networks, staging ambushes on highways, and attacking security convoys with deadly precision. National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu deserves enormous credit for steering this operation with quiet resolve. Working in concert with the armed forces and intelligence agencies, Ribadu helped deliver what is already being described as one of Nigeria’s most consequential counter-terrorism successes.

    In a climate where victories against terror too often feel fleeting, the neutralisation of Ansaru’s leadership stands as a rare and decisive breakthrough. Public affairs analyst Farooq Kperogi aptly described it as “a visible, heartening crack in the wall of impunity that these blood-sucking monsters of depravity had built for themselves.”

    Of course, terror will not vanish overnight. Ansaru’s lieutenants remain scattered, and other criminal syndicates continue to plague highways, villages, and farmlands. But the symbolism of this victory is profound: Nigeria has shown that with patience, intelligence, and coordination, even the most entrenched terror networks can be cut down. This progress builds on broader gains since mid-2023. According to official data, between May 2023 and early 2025, security forces neutralised more than 13,500 terrorists and armed criminals, while over 124,000 insurgents and their families surrendered. More than 11,000 hostages were freed and 3,843 illegal refineries dismantled, choking off vital lifelines of both terror and economic sabotage.

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    In the Northwest, the phenomenon of mass abductions has declined sharply, aided by the elimination of notorious bandit warlords like Ali Kachalla, Halilu Sububu, and Boderi. The Northeast theatre, once dominated by Boko Haram and ISWAP, has seen insurgent capacity steadily degrade, with fighters surrendering in their thousands—a scenario unimaginable just a few years ago. In the Niger Delta, oil production has rebounded to 1.8 million barrels per day, the highest in years, after a concerted clampdown on oil theft and pipeline vandalism. Meanwhile, in the Southeast, the once-feared “sit-at-home” orders imposed by armed separatists are losing their grip, with commercial and social life gradually returning.

    Nigeria has also moved to secure its virtual borders. Cybercrime crackdowns and the rollout of the Critical National Information Infrastructure Protection Plan reflect a recognition that the wars of today are waged as much in cyberspace as in forests and villages.

    And yet, challenges remain. Kidnappings, though reduced in some areas, still plague highways. Displaced farmers remain reluctant to return to their fields, worsening food insecurity. Cross-border arms trafficking, climate change pressures, and adaptive criminal networks all complicate the security equation. The capture of Ansaru’s kingpins is a breakthrough—but unless sustained, it risks becoming another high point in a cycle of boom and relapse. The road ahead requires more than battlefield victories. Nigeria needs a whole-of-society strategy that pairs military gains with governance reforms, political dialogue, and economic inclusion.

    Intelligence-driven policing, regional cooperation to secure porous borders, and genuine community engagement are essential. Equally important is building public trust through transparency, accountability, and consistent leadership—without which victories risk evaporating into disillusionment. The need for these sustained, holistic strategies is urgent and cannot be overstated. The dismantling of Ansaru’s leadership shows what is possible when political will aligns with operational discipline. It is a moment worth celebrating, not because the war is over, but because it proves progress is achievable.

    Nigeria has long been accustomed to headlines dominated by violence and loss; this capture offers a different kind of story—a reminder that the tide, however slowly, can turn. The actual test is whether this victory will be treated as an isolated success or as a launch-pad for more profound, systemic change. If Nigeria sustains this momentum—combining security with justice, economic opportunity, and social cohesion—the shadow of insecurity need not define the nation’s future.

    The potential for more profound, systemic change is within reach, offering a glimmer of hope in an otherwise challenging situation. For now, the fall of Ansaru’s terror lords is a decisive crack in the edifice of impunity. It must not be the last. Again, it is worth noting that the federal government has revitalised programmes such as the National Park Service’s Forest Guard initiative, to reclaim forests used as criminal hideouts, which is promising. However, these measures will yield little if they are not anchored in transparency, consistency, and shared responsibility across federal, state, and local levels.

    Security, as the old saying goes, is everybody’s business. Communities must actively participate in their protection, and civic leaders must work to bridge the gap between citizens and the security apparatus. Nigeria’s security journey is far from over, and the path is still treacherous. Yet the evidence of the past 18 months suggests that progress is possible when political will, strategic clarity, and operational discipline align.

    For a country long accustomed to headlines dominated by pervasive insecurity, these gains, however fragile, are a reminder that the tide can be turned. But it will require vigilance to guard against complacency, foresight to address root causes, and courage to confront those who profit from instability. Only then can Nigeria hope, not just to contain insecurity, but to end the cycle and build the foundation for lasting peace.

    •Iroegbu, a journalist and security and public affairs analyst, writes from Abuja.

  • An answer to Ansaru

    An answer to Ansaru

    • We commend our security forces for a major accomplishment

    No one who knows a thing or two about securing a place, whether a home, a precinct or a town, would say it is an easy task. It is neither given nor cheap. It requires vigilance, resources and coordination. Even at that, they have to be right one hundred percent. The terrorist has to be right only once and one percent, and that one percent could undermine 99 percent of official diligence.

    That is what makes securing a region or a nation that much precarious and overwhelming at times. So, when the country announced that it has arrested two major figures of terror, it was as much a relief as it was a joy.

    The national security adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, made the disclosure recently. It was the two kingpins of the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, also known as Ansaru.

    Few Nigerians know of the name, and no less the nightmarish persons. But all they need to know to get a measure of the feat was that they are linked to Boko Haram, a dread name for rapine and rupture of peace in the northeast, and ISWAP. They are therefore part of the worldwide group al-Qaeda.

    “This is one of the most significant arrests that have been made,” said the chief of defence staff, General Christopher Musa. “These are guys that were haunted for a very long time. It shows that the intelligence and operational works are working together.”

    The two leaders were allegedly the heads of Ansaru, an al-Qaeda-linked group, and Mahmuda, a relatively new and lesser-known militant group. Mahmuda gained national notoriety after a series of onslaughts earlier this year in the country’s north-central region.

    “These two men have been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list for years. “They jointly spearheaded multiple attacks on civilians, security forces and critical infrastructure,” Ribadu said.

    The two men are Mahmud Mohammed Usman and Mahmud Al-Nigeri. These seasoned brutes were the masterminds of the notorious jailbreak of recent times, that is, the attack on the Kuje Prisons in Abuja, one of the most supposedly fortified penitentiaries in the country. It signalled the vulnerabilities of a national fortress.

    It is a testament to their rugged sense of subversion that they marked it out, in spite of its neighbours in the seat of power, including the presidency, and proceeded with their plots to break it down. It was like an assault on the vertebral bone of the Nigerian prison system. They did not only succeed, they triumphed in a spectacle of deaths, liberty for the inmates, a spectacle also of the impotence of national security in 2022 when they struck and released 879 prisoners.

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    They were prized inmates, fellow goons of bloodshed and savagery in the country. They were awaiting trial but the two men, in their show of the solidarity of daring with their nabbed fellows, looked our security forces in the eye.

    The two men were not only of interest to Nigerians but also the world. They were not just terrors at home; their status is world famous. Hence, the two main countries in the enterprise of clipping terror in the world did not hesitate to praise Nigeria for this cardinal capture. The United States and Great Britain who had balked at some of Nigeria’s efforts in the past demonstrated a welcome lack of restraint in their adulation. This shows that our security forces scored for world peace by this act of rigour and competence.

    It is also significant because it happened with the two men alive. According to Ribadu, they had been on their trail for a long time, but they were particularly active in the mission between May and July, this year. We must recall, too, that two men were at the heart of the attack on the Niger uranium facility in 2013.

    It is interesting that this achievement has even paralysed the tongues of critics, including notable political opponents of the president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who never have seen that this event was only one in a series of major captures in the past two years under the leadership of Ribadu.

    The other finds and killings may not have the refrain of the two men, but they have been major figures in setting the country in the hands of tyrants. They were local sources of fear and trembling. They include Kachalla Halilu Sububu, Kachalla Ali Kawaje, Kachalla Damina, Kachalla Dangote, Kachalla Barume, Kachalla Shehu, Kachalla Jafaru Tsoho, Kachalla Yellow Mai Buhu, Yellow Sirajo, Kachalla Dan Muhammadu, Kachalla Makasko, Yellow Hassan, Boderi, Kachalla Dan Ba birki, Auta Dan Mai Jan Kai. No doubt, both Usman and Al-Nigeri may be bigger, but for the locals, the others were as real and sometimes worked in cahoots with the Ansaru top guns.

    We note some of the areas of fear that have seen subdued stories of onslaughts, notably Nasarawa, Kaduna, Taraba, Adamawa, Kano, et al. The terror group that threatened Sokoto State known as Lakurawa sent tremor across the country. It is to the security forces’ credit that they have not been able to rise to their threat level.

    The capture of the two men also tells us how the fight against banditry is not just a national worry; since it means we have to police our borders, a herculean task given that we have long borders of thousands of kilometers.

    We still have a lot of work to do, especially in the Benue State and Plateau State axis, as well as in Zamfara and Katsina states. Of course, Borno State remains an underbelly of trepidation.

    General Musa has warned about civic complicity in which locals who know these criminals protect them by giving them intelligence and providing them with the warmth of local infrastructure and supplies in the name of religion. They are knights of terror and not of piety, and should be seen as such.

    Many people have called for a speedy trial, and the world will be interested in how the men who have separated and ruined villages, torn apart families and made a glamour of butchery will face the angry majesty of the law, and quickly, too.

  • UPDATED: Security agencies capture top Ansaru terror leaders

    UPDATED: Security agencies capture top Ansaru terror leaders

    A joint security efforts by the military, Police, the Department of State Service (DSS) and as well as security and intelligence agencies have led to the capture of top leadership of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, commonly known as ANSARU, Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate.

    The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, revealed this during a press briefing at the National Counter Terrorism Centre, in Abuja, on Saturday.

    According to Ribadu, the terror leaders, Abu Baraa and Mamuda, had been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list for years and were responsible for masterminding several terrorist attacks over the past years.

    Ribadu said the precision operation that led to the capture of the terrorist leaders followed months (from May to July 2025) of “deep surveillance, human intelligence, and technical tracking, which demonstrates enhanced sophistication and seamless inter-agency synergy.”

    He said Abu Bara’a, whose real name is 

    Mahmud Muhammad Usman, was the self-styled Emir of ANSARU, and had coordinated various terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria, and also the mastermind of several high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies used to finance terrorism over the years.

    According to the NSA, Mamuda, whose real name is Mahmud al-Nigeri, was Abu Baraa’s proclaimed Chief of Staff and Deputy. 

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    “He is the leader of the so-called “Mahmudawa” cell hiding out in and around the Kainji National Park, straddling Niger and Kwara States up to Benin Republic. 

    “Mamuda trained in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadist instructors from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria, specializing in weapons handling and Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) fabrication,” Ribadu said.

    The NSA said the two terror leaders had jointly spearheaded multiple attacks on civilians, security forces, and critical infrastructure. 

    He said: “Their operations include the 2022 Kuje prison break, the attack on the Niger uranium facility, the 2013 abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp in Katsina, and the May 1, 2019 kidnapping of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba (Magajin Garin Daura). They were also behind the abduction of the Emir of Wawa and they maintain active links with terrorist groups across the Maghreb, particularly in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.

    “The two men, who are wanted internationally, are currently in custody.”

    Ribadu emphasised the capture of Abu Bara and Mallam Mamuda, the group’s leader and Deputy, marks one of the most significant achievements to date in our ongoing effort to rid Nigeria of the threat of terrorism.

    He said: “ The successful decapitation of the leadership of this dangerous franchise marks the most decisive blow against ANSARU since its inception. 

    “This stride has effectively dismantled its central command while paving the path for the complete annihilation of the group.”

    Ribadu said that security forces captured and recovered valuable actionable intelligence, including a cache of materials and digital evidence which, he said, were all now undergoing forensic analysis. 

    According to him, the findings from the analysis were expected to support ongoing efforts to “exploit this success, bring them to justice, and completely annihilate the residual of ANSARU networks and disrupt their foreign collaborators.”

    “This feat undoubtedly exemplifies Nigeria’s advancing counter-terrorism capabilities,” Ribadu said. 

    The NSA reassured that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would not relent in our drive to make Nigeria safe for all citizens.

    The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, urged the citizens to support the government to make the country safer for economic growth and development.

    He also urged the media not to be swayed by terrorists propaganda, noting that terrorism drives on publicity.

  • BREAKING: Military captures two Ansaru leaders

    BREAKING: Military captures two Ansaru leaders

    The Nigerian military has captured two Ansaru leaders, Abu Baraa and Mahmuda, during recent operation. 

    The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, revealed this during a briefing at the National Counter Terrorism Centre, in Abuja, on Saturday.

    Abu Baraa and Mahmuda were responsible for Kuje prison break and other high profile abduction in North West and North Central of Nigeria.

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    They were captured during operations that begin since May 2025, according to the NSA

    Details shortly…

  • Judge withdraws from Boko Haram leader’s trial

    Judge withdraws from Boko Haram leader’s trial

    Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has withdrawn from the trial of the alleged leader of a Boko Haram breakaway group, Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (aka Ansaru), Mohammed Usman (aka Khalid Albarnawi), his second wife, Halima Haliru and six others.

    The judge announced his withdrawal on Tuesday while ruling on an application filed by six of the eight defendants for him to transfer the case to another judge because he had exhibited element of bias having allegedly changed his earlier position on the matter.

    The Federal Ministry of Justice had earlier this year arraigned the accused persons before Justice Tsoho on an 11-count amended charge relating to terrorism.

    They were accused of taking hostage and murdering nine foreigners, including some British and Italian nationals between 2011 and 2013 in Sokoto, Kebbi, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe and other states in the northern part of the country.

    Following their arraignment, Justice Tsoho ordered their remand in prison.

    But, upon an application by the prosecution, the judge changed his mind and directed that the defendants be kept in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) and adjourned for trial.

    When parties got to court on Tuesday, the lead prosecuting counsel, Shuaibu Labaran, said the prosecution was ready to commence trial.

    He told the court that his witnesses were available.

     

  • The gazette on proscription of Boko Haram, Ansaru

    The gazette on proscription of Boko Haram, Ansaru

    The Federal Government has issued a gazette on the proscription of Jamaatu Ahlis-sunna Liddaawati Wal Jihad (otherwise known as Boko Haram) and Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi Biladis Sudan (JAMBS).

    The gazette, titled “Terrorism (Prevention) (Proscription Order) Notice 2013 was signed by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN).

    The gazette reads: “Order declaring the activities of ‘Jamaatu Ahlis-Sunna Liddaawati Wal Jihad and ‘Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan ’ as terrorism and illegal, proscribing their existence and restraining any person or group of persons from participating in any manner whatsoever in any form of activities or concerning the prosecution of the collective intentions or otherwise of the said groups.

    “Notice is hereby given that by the Order of the Federal High Court Abuja, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/ 368/2013 dated 24th May, 2013 as per the Schedule to this Notice, the Activities of ‘Jamaatu Ahlis-Sunna Liddaawati Wal Jihad and ‘Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan’ are declared to be terrorism and illegal and that the existence of Jamaatu Ahlis-Sunna Liddaawati Wal Jihad and ‘Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan’ are proscribed, pursuant to Section 2 of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 20111(As Amended).

    “Consequently, the general public is hereby warned that any person or group of persons participating in any manner whatsoever in any form of activities involving or concerning the prosecution of the collective intentions or otherwise of the said groups will be violating the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011(As Amended) and liable to prosecution.

    “This Notice shall be cited as the Terrorism (Prevention) (Proscription Order) Notice 2013.”

    A top source in the presidency, who spoke in confidence last night, said: “The proscription of the two groups is without prejudice to the ongoing dialogue and amnesty process.

    “We have to take legal steps as provided by the enabling Act on prevention of terrorism. If you look at the Act, it has provided a clause that the AGF may withdraw the order if satisfied that such proscribed organization has ceased to engage in act of terrorism.

    “So, if they embrace dialogue and renounce violence, the government may deem it fit to de-proscribe these groups in future.

    “As it is now, their activities are inimical to the interest of this nation.”

     

  • Report: America worried by Ansaru’s emergence

    Report: America worried by Ansaru’s emergence

    The United States’ Country Report on Terrorism 2012 released yesterday shows that America is worried about the split of Boko Haram, which gave birth to Ansaru, which is targeting western interests, reports OLUKOREDE YISHAU

    The United States is worried about the split of the Boko Haram, which gave rise to Ansaru, the State Department Country Report on Terrorism 2012, revealed yesterday.

    The report said the U.S.’s worry had to do with Ansaru’s penchant for attacking western interests.

    “Of particular concern to the United States is the emergence of the BH faction known as “Ansaru,” which has close ties to AQIM and has prioritised targeting Westerners – including Americans – in Nigeria,” said the report.

    The report is an assessment of trends and events in international terrorism between January 1 and December 31, 2012.

    It contains a strategic assessment, a country-by-country breakdown of counter terrorism efforts, sponsors of terrorism and terrorism havens.

    The report faulted the country’s Prevention of Terrorism Law of 2011. It said the weakest part of the law “is that it does not clearly delineate the lead agency to investigate suspected terrorist crimes”.

    An overview of the report published last night on the website of the Department of State said: “The militant sect “People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad,” better known by its Hausa name Boko Haram (BH), conducted killings, bombings, kidnappings, and other attacks in Nigeria, resulting in numerous deaths, injuries, and the widespread destruction of property in 2012.”

    The report said states where attacks occurred more frequently included Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Plateau, Taraba and Yobe.

    It said the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was not exempted.

    “No terrorist attacks occurred in the southern states of Nigeria,” the report said.

    It accused members of the Joint Task Force (JTF) of committing indiscriminate and extrajudicial use of force, including killings of civilians and Boko Haram suspects.

    It said the government’s efforts to address grievances in the North such as high unemployment and a dearth of basic services, continued to fail, as did the security forces’ efforts to contain Boko Haram.

    The United States, said the report, urged the Federal Government to employ a comprehensive security strategy not predicated on the use of force, adding that the economic and political exclusion of vulnerable communities in the North should be addressed.

    The report said the government actively cooperated with the United States and other international partners to prevent further acts of terrorism.

    It criticised the government for being slow in freezing the assets of people suspected of money laundering for terrorists.

    Said the report: “ In 2012, Nigeria made significant progress in addressing its outstanding deficiencies, including through the adoption of amendments to its Money Laundering (Prevention) Act.

    “While Nigeria regularly froze the assets of individuals and entities designated under relevant UNSCRs, and others designated by the United States under U.S. domestic designation authorities only, delays sometimes occurred. All requests to freeze assets must first be sent to the National Security Adviser, who disseminates the information to relevant financial institutions and Nigerian government agencies. Consequently, delays of up to four weeks occasionally occurred before authorities would block assets. Nigeria did not monitor non-profit organisations to prevent misuse and terrorist financing.

    “Nigeria is a member of the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), a Financial Action Task Force (FATF)-style regional body. Nigeria was publicly identified by the FATF in February 2010 for strategic anti-money laundering/combating the financing of terrorism deficiencies. In October 2011, Nigeria was named in the FATF Public Statement for its lack of progress in implementing its action plan.”

    The report lauded the country for seeking regional and international cooperation to end terrorism.

    “At the June 7 Ministerial Plenary Meeting of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), Nigeria announced it would partner with Switzerland to co-host a Sahel Working Group meeting on combating the financing of terrorism in early 2013. In January, the UN Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force launched three projects under the Integrated Assis­tance for Counter-Terrorism initiative to support Nigerian government efforts to combat terrorism. Nigeria is a lead member of the Economic Community of West African States and has committed ground forces and logistical support for a possible intervention force in Mali. Through its Office of the National Security Adviser, Nigeria has taken a lead role in initiating a multilateral dialogue between regional countries on how they can better coordinate their efforts to confront networks of terrorist groups that span international borders,” the report said.

    It gave a breakdown of terrorism incidents last year to include:

    • On January 20, multiple near-simultaneous attacks in Kano were carried out on at least 12 targets including police stations, an immigration office, and the Kano residence of an Assistant Inspector General of Police. Over 150 persons were killed and hundreds wounded.

    • On January 26, a German construction worker was kidnapped on the outskirts of Kano city. On June 1, he was killed by his captors in a raid on the house where he was being held.

    • On March 8, an Italian citizen and a British citizen who were kidnapped in May 2010 in Kebbi state, were killed in Sokoto state by their captors during an attempted rescue by Nigerian and British special forces.

    • In April, assailants attacked Theatre Hall at Bayero University, Kano, with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and gunshots, killing nearly 20 persons.

    • On April 26, vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) simultaneously exploded at the offices of This Day newspaper in Abuja and Kaduna, killing five persons and wounding many.

    • On June 17, attacks on three churches in Kaduna state killed worshippers and instigated violence throughout the state. At least 10 people were killed and an additional 78 injured in the ensuing riots, as groups barricaded roads, burned mosques, and used machetes to attack and kill. In response, the Kaduna state government imposed a 24-hour curfew and deployed additional security forces; however, violence between Christians and Muslims continued for nearly one week.

    • In July, the assassination of three traditional Muslim leaders was attempted in Borno, Yobe, and Kaduna states respectively. None of the targets was killed.

    • On July 30, police stations and markets in Sokoto were attacked, resulting in the death of six persons.

    • In July and August, churches were targeted in Bauchi, Kaduna, and Kogi states. The total killed in these attacks was 22 persons.

    • On December 19, a French engineer was kidnapped in Katsina state, near the Niger border. Ansaru, considered a splinter faction of BH, claimed the kidnapping, and the victim’s whereabouts remained unknown at year’s end.

  • Yobe clash death toll hits 25

    At least 25 people were killed in a clash between the Joint Task Force and suspected Boko Haram members who robbed a bank and attacked a police station in Yobe State, police said on Friday.

    The military had earlier said seven people were killed in the shootout on Thursday.

    “Five policemen and 20 gunmen have been confirmed dead and over nine million naira ($56,600) was carted away from a commercial bank,” Reuters quoted Yobe State police commissioner, Sanusi Rufai, as saying in a statement, adding that the loot had been recovered.

    The Boko Haram sect and offshoots such as the al Qaeda-linked Ansaru, as well as associated criminal networks, have posed the main threat to the stability of Nigeria since a 2009 amnesty for militants in the oil-producing Niger Delta calmed violence there.

    Thursday’s shootout followed a major military assault on a Boko Haram hideout by allied forces from Nigeria, Chad and Niger last week that killed dozens of people and may have been one of the deadliest since the Islamists launched an uprising in 2009.

    The Nigerian Red Cross is trying to check reports from locals that 187 people died in that battle. The military said the figure is inflated, but it has barred any access to aid agencies wanting to investigate.