The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a senior Islamic State West Africa Province commander, Hussaini Ismaila, to 20 years imprisonment for terrorism-related offences.
Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the judgment on Tuesday after Ismaila — also known as Mai Tangaran — changed his plea from not guilty to guilty on four terrorism counts brought under the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013.
Ismaila was accused of coordinating multiple attacks on police facilities in Kano State in 2012, including assaults on the Bompai Police Headquarters, the Mobile Police Base on Kabuga Road, the Pharm Centre Police Station, and the Angwa Uku Police Station. Several people were reportedly injured during the attacks.
He was arrested on August 31, 2017, in Tsamiyya Babba Village, Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State.
His trial faced delays due to interlocutory appeals and a trial-within-trial on the admissibility of his extra-judicial statements. The Department of State Services presented five witnesses, including operatives and eyewitnesses.
After the fifth witness testified, Ismaila changed his plea. His lawyer, P. B. Onijah of the Legal Aid Council, appealed for leniency, stating that the defendant was remorseful and pleaded guilty to avoid prolonged litigation.
Justice Nwite convicted him on all four counts, sentencing him to 15 years on count one and 20 years each on counts two, three, and four. The sentences will run concurrently, taking effect from his arrest date of August 31, 2017. The court also ordered that he undergo rehabilitation and deradicalisation after completing his jail term.
Meanwhile, the trial of two alleged Ansaru leaders — Mahmud Usman and Abubakar Abba — has been adjourned to January 15, 2026. The pair face a 32-count charge by the DSS, including terrorism, kidnapping, illegal mining, arms procurement, and terrorism financing, allegedly committed between 2015 and 2024.
Usman pleaded guilty to one count relating to an economic offence but denied the remaining charges. He had previously received a 15-year sentence for illegal mining used to fund terrorism and kidnapping. Abba pleaded not guilty to all counts.
According to the charges, the defendants allegedly bombed the Wawa Military Cantonment in Niger State, received weapons training, kidnapped several security operatives—including an Immigration officer who was later killed—and collected millions in ransom to finance operations and train recruits in Mali and Sudan.
During Wednesday’s hearing, defence counsel B. I. Bakum requested that the defendants be moved to a correctional facility to allow easier access for trial preparation. DSS counsel David Kaswe opposed the motion, citing procedural constraints.
Justice Nwite adjourned the case to January 15, 2026, advising the defence to follow the proper process for access to their clients.
