A court in Abuja on Thursday sentenced Mahmud Muhammad Usman, a top commander of the al-Qaida-linked Ansaru group, to 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to engaging in illegal mining to finance militant operations.
Prosecutors said Usman, who has been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list, admitted that proceeds from unauthorized mining were used to procure weapons for Ansaru. The conviction was the first secured against him in a case that includes 32 charges brought by the federal government, most of them related to terrorism and illegal arms handling. He will remain in the custody of Nigeria’s secret police while proceedings on the other counts continue.
Usman was arrested last month in an operation involving several law enforcement agencies alongside another militant leader, Mahmud al-Nigeri. Authorities have accused Ansaru of some of the country’s most high-profile attacks in recent years, including a 2022 assault on a prison in Abuja that freed nearly 900 inmates, among them dozens tied to Ansaru. The group also has been linked to a 2013 attack on a uranium facility in neighboring Niger.
The sentence underscores how Nigerian authorities are attempting to disrupt militant financing streams by pursuing charges beyond conventional terrorism counts. Illegal mining has emerged in parts of West Africa as a revenue source for armed groups that exploit weak regulation and limited state presence in remote areas.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, faces a widening security crisis involving multiple armed factions that operate across rural communities and major transit routes. Despite repeated military offensives, some groups have expanded their operations and carried out frequent attacks on villages, security forces and infrastructure. This year, Boko Haram factions have demonstrated a marked resurgence in violence across northeastern states.
The security environment has prompted international attention and assistance. U.S. authorities recently approved a potential $346 million weapons sale to Nigeria intended to bolster the country’s counterinsurgency capabilities, officials said. Nigerian leaders have repeatedly said that improving logistics, intelligence-sharing and equipment are critical to stemming attacks and securing remote areas.
The government’s case against Usman is expected to proceed on the remaining counts after the sentence for illegal mining was handed down. Court records indicate the additional charges include multiple counts of terrorism and conspiracy related to arms procurement and logistical support for militant operations. The sentencing comes amid broader efforts by Nigerian security agencies to dismantle militant networks and limit their access to funding sources, while families and communities continue to bear the brunt of ongoing violence.