The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a senior Islamic State West Africa Province commander, Hussaini Ismaila, to 20 years imprisonment for carrying out coordinated terrorist attacks in Kano State.
According to The PUNCH, Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the judgment on Tuesday after Ismaila — popularly known as Mai Tangaran — reversed his plea from not guilty to guilty on four terrorism charges brought under the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013.
Prosecutors said the convict masterminded multiple attacks on police facilities in Kano in 2012, including the Bompai Police Headquarters, the Mobile Police Base on Kabuga Road, Pharm Centre Police Station, and Angwa Uku Police Station, resulting in injuries to several people.
Ismaila was arrested by the Department of State Services on August 31, 2017, in Tsamiyya Babba Village, Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State. His trial stretched over several years due to interlocutory applications and a trial-within-trial to determine the validity of his statements.
According to court records, the DSS presented five witnesses, including operatives and eyewitnesses. After the fifth witness testified, Ismaila opted to plead guilty.
His lawyer, P. B. Onijah from the Legal Aid Council, pleaded for leniency.
“My client is remorseful, and his decision to plead guilty is an effort to save the court’s time,” Onijah told the court.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite found the defendant guilty on all four counts and handed down sentences of 15 years on the first count and 20 years each on the remaining three. The judge, however, ordered that the terms run concurrently.
“The sentence shall take effect from August 31, 2017, the date of the defendant’s arrest,” Justice Nwite ruled.
The court further directed that Ismaila undergo rehabilitation and deradicalisation after completing his prison term.
Meanwhile, Justice Nwite has fixed January 15, 2026, for the continuation of trial involving two alleged Ansaru leaders — Mahmud Usman and Abubakar Abba.
The pair faces a 32-count charge filed by the DSS, covering allegations of terrorism, kidnapping, terrorism financing, illegal mining, arms procurement and training of recruits between 2015 and 2024.
Usman pleaded guilty only to one count relating to an economic offence but denied the rest, while Abba pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Prosecutors allege the defendants were involved in the bombing of the Wawa Military Cantonment in Niger State, the kidnapping of security operatives, ransom collection, and training of fighters in Mali and Sudan. They are also accused of funding terrorist operations through illegal mining.
During Wednesday’s session, defence counsel B. I. Bakum requested that the accused be moved from DSS custody to a correctional facility to ease access for trial preparation. But DSS counsel, David Kaswe, opposed the motion, insisting that the defence must comply with established procedures.
Justice Nwite adjourned the matter and instructed the defence to follow due process in seeking access to the defendants.
“The proper protocol must be followed. The application will be considered when laid through the correct channel,” the judge stated.
