The Department of State Services (DSS) has commenced plans to appeal the life imprisonment sentences imposed on two convicted Ansaru terrorist commanders, arguing that the punishment is inadequate considering the severity of their crimes.
The Federal High Court in Abuja recently sentenced Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, the self-proclaimed Emir of Ansaru, and Abubakar Abba, alias Mahmud al-Nigeri, to life imprisonment after both defendants pleaded guilty to 32 terrorism-related charges.
A senior DSS official disclosed that the Service would challenge the judgment at the appellate court, seeking the maximum penalty permitted under the law.
According to the official, the two convicts played key roles in the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire, Oyo State, where the kidnappers allegedly demanded their release as a condition for freeing the victims.
The DSS further alleged that two teachers were beheaded during the captivity to pressure the government into meeting the terrorists’ demands.
The Service maintained that the scale of the atrocities committed by the convicted terrorists warrants a stiffer sentence, stressing that a stronger punishment would better serve the cause of justice for the victims, their families, and the nation.
The appeal is expected to challenge the life imprisonment sentences with a view to securing the maximum punishment available under Nigeria’s anti-terrorism laws.
