Lawyers for Mohammed Usman, also known as Khalid al-Barnawi, and four other suspected members of the terrorist organization Ansaru were warned by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday for their nonattendance at court.
The defendants and their attorneys were given a final warning by the judge, who instructed them to attend the upcoming hearings on September 5 and 12, 2025.
Mohammed Bashir Saleh, Mohammed Salisu, Umar Mohammed Bello (also known as Datti), and Yakubu Nuhu (also known as Bello Maishayi) are all on trial alongside Al-Barnawi, a former Boko Haram commander who later headed the Ansaru splinter group.
They are charged with being members of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (ANSARU) and planning terrorist attacks in northern states such as Sokoto, Kebbi, Bauchi, Borno, and Gombe between 2011 and 2013.
Prosecuting attorney Dr. Alex Izinyon told the court during Tuesday’s proceedings that the session was scheduled for the continuation of a trial-within-trial. However, he pointed out that al-Barnawi’s attorney was not present, nor were the attorneys for the other two defendants.
Izinyon was worried that the defense attorneys’ frequent absences were impeding the 13-year-old case’s resolution, calling it disrespectful to the court.
In his decision, Justice Nwite voiced his disapproval and warned that the court would not tolerate any more attempts by the defendants to stall the proceedings.
He asked everyone to make sure that everyone shows up for the next sitting.
To allow for the presentation of video exhibits and the continuation of the third prosecution witness’s testimony, the case was postponed to September 5 and 12.
In 2012, the United States designated al-Barnawi a global terrorist and offered a $5 million reward for his capture.
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