DSS Intensifies Prosecution of Terror Suspects Nationwide, Seeks Swift Justice in Ongoing Trials

The Department of State Services (DSS) has provided updates on the ongoing prosecution of several high-profile terrorism suspects across Nigeria, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring justice through due process.

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, is set to resume the trial on November 19 of two internationally wanted terrorism suspects, Mahmud Muhammad Usman and Abubakar Abba, both arrested in July during a major DSS-led counterterrorism operation.

Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a and regarded as the Emir of ANSARU—Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate—allegedly oversaw multiple terrorist sleeper cells across the country and financed operations through kidnappings and robberies. His deputy, Abba (aka Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri), reportedly led the “Mahmudawa” cell that operated near Kainji National Park, spanning Niger, Kwara, and parts of Benin Republic.

According to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Abba received terrorist training in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under North African jihadist instructors specializing in weapons handling and IED fabrication.

Both suspects are facing 32 terrorism-related charges, including illegal mining. Usman has already been sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count, while Abba maintains his innocence on all counts.

In a related case, the DSS continues the prosecution of Khalid Al-Barnawi, the alleged mastermind of the 2011 UN Building bombing in Abuja, which killed 20 people and injured over 70. Al-Barnawi and four co-defendants—Mohammed Bashir Saleh, Umar Mohammed Bello (Datti), Mohammed Salisu, and Yakubu Nuhu (Bello Maishayi)—are being tried after years of delays caused by legal and procedural setbacks. Justice Nwite recently approved an accelerated hearing after the DSS presented video confessions as evidence during sessions held on October 23 and 24.

The agency is also prosecuting five men linked to the June 5, 2022 St. Francis Catholic Church massacre in Owo, Ondo State, which claimed over 40 lives and injured more than 100 people. The accused—Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar—are charged with nine terrorism-related offences, including alleged membership in an Al-Shabab-linked cell in Kogi State. Their bail application was denied due to the capital nature of the charges and the strength of evidence presented by the DSS.

Additionally, the DSS is pursuing terrorism charges against suspects involved in the Yelwata massacre of June 13, 2025, in Guma Local Government Area, Benue State, where dozens were killed and over 100 injured. Following nationwide outrage and President Bola Tinubu’s visit to the victims, the DSS charged nine suspects to court in August 2025, with two others—Haruna Adamu and Muhammad Abdullahi—still at large.

Two additional suspects, Terkende Ashuwa and Amos Alede, are facing separate charges for allegedly carrying out retaliatory attacks related to the Yelwata killings. Their trial also continues before Justice Nwite.

Speaking on the agency’s ongoing counterterrorism efforts, DSS Director General Tosin Ajayi stated:

> “These prosecutions demonstrate our determination to ensure that those who threaten Nigeria’s peace are held accountable within the framework of the law. Beyond these cases, hundreds of terror suspects remain in military custody under the supervision of the Attorney General’s Office. Last year alone, 125 terrorists were convicted.”

Ajayi reaffirmed the DSS’s resolve to sustain its intelligence-driven operations and legal actions against all forms of terrorism threatening Nigeria’s stability.