The Department of State Services (DSS) will appeal Monday’s life sentences for two top commanders of the Ansaru Terror organisation by a Federal High Court, Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Emeka Nwite had, shortly after the two notorious terrorists pleaded guilty to the 32-count terrorism charge, sentenced them to life imprisonment.
The judge gave the verdict after the convicts and their lawyer begged the court to temper justice with mercy.
The convicts are Mahmud Usman, a.k.a Abu Bara’a/Abbas/Mukhtar, the self-styled Emir of Ansaru; and Abubakar Abba, a.k.a Mahmud al-Nigeri/Malam Mamuda, who is the deputy and chief of staff to Bara’a.
Reacting, a top official of the service told newsmen that they considered the life sentence as too light a punishment for the crimes allegedly committed by the Ansaru commanders.
The official said the service found it curious that both convicts were on the verge of pleading guilty to the charges, but changed their minds shortly after some persons believed to be members of the same organisation kidnapped pupils and teachers in Oriire LGA in Oyo State.
“For the nearly 60 days the kidnappers held on to the pupils and teachers of Oriire, the Ansaru commanders in our custody changed.
“One of the top conditions the abductors gave was the unconditional release of these same Ansaru commanders in exchange for the Oriire kidnap victims,” he said.
According to him, from ‘not guilty plea,’ the two men at the penultimate court session said they were undecided on what plea to take.
“Justice Nwite even had to hand them an ultimatum to make up their minds on or before Monday’s sitting.
“After the Oriire rescue, they came to court to plead guilty to all the charges,” he added.
The official said, “Allowing the two terror commanders to walk away with life sentences will not serve the cause of justice for the two Oriire teachers beheaded by their abductors.
“The reason the terrorists beheaded the two Oriire teachers was to put pressure on the government to release these two Ansaru commanders.
“It, therefore, wouldn’t be fair to see two men beheaded and their families are made to live with the losses without adequately bringing the culprits to book,” he said.