HURIWA Supports DSS Appeal Against Life Sentence for Convicted Ansaru Commanders

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has backed the Department of State Services (DSS) over its decision to appeal the life sentences imposed on two convicted senior commanders of the Ansaru terrorist group, describing the punishment as too lenient.

In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA said the life sentences handed to Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, Abbas and Mukhtar, and his deputy, Abubakar Abba, alias Mahmud al-Nigeri (Malam Mamuda), do not reflect the seriousness of the terrorism offences for which they were convicted.

According to the organisation, the two men pleaded guilty to a 32-count terrorism charge, but the sentence does not adequately deliver justice for victims of terrorism, their families and communities affected by insurgency.

HURIWA said the case goes beyond the conviction of two individuals, describing it as a test of Nigeria’s commitment to justice and accountability in the fight against terrorism.

The group noted that thousands of Nigerians have been killed, many communities displaced, and security personnel have lost their lives combating terrorism, stressing that punishments for such crimes should be proportionate to their severity.

The rights organisation also cited disclosures by the DSS alleging that kidnappers who abducted pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State demanded the release of the convicted Ansaru commanders as a condition for freeing their captives.

According to HURIWA, the DSS further alleged that two teachers were killed during the incident in an attempt to pressure the government into meeting the kidnappers’ demands.

The organisation also referred to comments attributed to former DSS Assistant Director Dennis Amachree, who reportedly described the convicts as senior members of a terrorist organisation allegedly linked to several deadly attacks across Nigeria.

HURIWA said the former DSS official alleged that the group recorded and circulated the killing of a teacher to instil fear and was also linked to attacks that claimed the lives of senior military officers involved in counterterrorism operations.

The organisation stated that if these allegations formed part of the factual basis of the convictions, they represent crimes of exceptional brutality against civilians and security personnel.

HURIWA maintained that the DSS appeal is both legally and morally justified and urged the Court of Appeal to fast-track the hearing of the case in the interest of justice and national security.

It said the appellate court should determine whether the life sentence sufficiently serves the objectives of justice, accountability, deterrence and public safety, adding that Nigeria’s justice system must demonstrate that terrorism attracts appropriate punishment under the law.

The group stressed that its position is rooted in respect for the rule of law, due process and the Constitution, rather than a desire for revenge.

HURIWA added that penalties imposed after a fair trial should reflect the gravity of terrorism offences, warning that sentences perceived as too light could undermine public confidence in the justice system and further deepen the pain of victims’ families.