Following life sentences handed to two senior commanders of the Ansaru terrorist group, Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, Abbas, or Mukhtar, described as the self-proclaimed Emir of Ansaru, alongside Abubakar Abba, also known as Mahmud al-Nigeri or Malam Mamuda, by the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, theDepartment of State Services (DSS) has announced plans to appeal, arguing that the punishment does not match the severity of their crimes.
DSS maintains that the killing of two teachers abducted in Oriire, Oyo State, warrants the maximum penalty under the law.
. Both men pleaded guilty to all 32 charges brought against them.
According to a senior DSS official, the defendants initially intended to plead guilty but later delayed their pleas after Ansaru-linked gunmen abducted pupils and teachers in Oriire. The official alleged that the kidnappers demanded the unconditional release of the two commanders in exchange for the hostages, causing the accused to postpone their decision until after the rescue operation had been concluded.
The DSS argued that life imprisonment is insufficient given the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the two teachers, who were beheaded while in captivity. The agency said the killings were carried out to pressure the government into releasing the Ansaru commanders and insisted that a harsher sentence is necessary to ensure justice for the victims and their families.
