A Federal High Court in Abuja has given a terrorism suspect, affiliated with Al-Qaeda Abubakar Abba, until July 20 to decide whether to change his plea from not guilty to guilty in the terrorism charges brought against him.
Justice Emeka Nwite issued the ultimatum after the prosecution informed the Court that the defendant had, for the second time, indicated an intention to review his plea, but failed to make a firm decision.
The prosecution argued that the repeated changes in position were delaying the progress of the trial.
Defence counsel, Hussaina Tukur, appealed to the Court for one more week to enable her client make a final decision on whether to alter his plea.
The request was granted after the Judge noted that the defendant had not formally indicated before the Court that he wished to plead guilty.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite said the Court was giving Abba one final opportunity to decide his position. He warned that if no clear decision is made at the next sitting, the Court would proceed with the trial in accordance with the law.
Abba is standing trial alongside Mahmud Muhammad Usman over a 32-count charge bordering on terrorism, terrorism financing, kidnapping for ransom, illegal mining, the manufacture of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and other offences allegedly linked to the Ansaru terrorist group.
The prosecution alleged that the defendants were involved in coordinating terrorist activities, funding operations through illegal mining, and maintaining links with extremist groups operating across the Sahel and Maghreb regions.
Earlier in the proceedings, Usman pleaded guilty to a charge relating to illegal mining used to finance terrorism and was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.
However, he denied the remaining counts, which are still pending before the Court.
Both defendants remain in the custody of the State Security Services (SSS) as the trial continues.
The case stems from separate security operations carried out between May and July 2025, during which the suspects were arrested. Their arrests were later announced by the National Security Adviser as part of efforts to dismantle terrorist networks operating within and outside Nigeria.
Justice Nwite subsequently adjourned the matter until July 20 for continuation of trial and further proceedings.
(Editor: Ken Eseni)
