The Department of State Services (DSS) is preparing to challenge the life imprisonment handed to two senior commanders of the Ansaru terrorist group, insisting that the sentence is not enough for the crimes they were convicted of.

The agency is particularly seeking a harsher punishment over the alleged killing of two teachers abducted in Oriire, Oyo State, after the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced the two men to life imprisonment.

Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, Abbas and Mukhtar, and described as the self-proclaimed Emir of Ansaru, alongside Abubakar Abba, also known as Mahmud al-Nigeri and Malam Mamuda, were sentenced on Monday after pleading guilty to all 32 charges brought against them.

Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the judgment shortly after both defendants admitted to the charges.

However, a senior DSS official told journalists that the agency considers the punishment inadequate and has concluded plans to appeal the judgment in pursuit of a stiffer penalty.

According to the official, the DSS considers it significant that the two men delayed entering their guilty pleas until after pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire had been rescued.

The official alleged that the victims were held captive for nearly 60 days, during which the kidnappers demanded the unconditional release of the two Ansaru commanders in exchange for the hostages.

“For the nearly 60 days the kidnappers held on to the pupils and teachers of Oriire, the Ansaru commanders in our custody changed. One of the top conditions the abductors gave was the unconditional release of these same Ansaru commanders in exchange for the Oriire kidnap victims,” the official said.

He added that the suspects initially pleaded not guilty before later informing the court that they were undecided on the plea they would enter.

“From ‘not guilty plea,’ the two men at the penultimate court session said they were undecided on what plea to take. Justice Nwite even had to hand them an ultimatum to make up their minds on or before Monday’s sitting. After the Oriire rescue, they came to court to plead guilty to all the charges,” the official said.

The DSS official further argued that allowing the convicted terrorists to serve life sentences would not amount to justice for the two teachers from Oriire who were allegedly beheaded by their abductors.

“The reason the terrorists beheaded the two Oriire teachers was to put pressure on government to release these two Ansaru commanders. It, therefore, wouldn’t be fair to see two men beheaded and their families are made to live with the losses without adequately bringing the culprits to book,” the official said.

The DSS is expected to file an appeal seeking a harsher sentence against the convicted Ansaru commanders.

Categories: Security, Crime, Nigeria News

Tags: DSS, Ansaru, Terrorism, Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Emeka Nwite, Oyo State, Oriire, Security, Nigeria

Sources:
Department of State Services
Federal High Court Abuja

— Atinuke Otedola and her Editorial Team