The Department of State Services (DSS) says it will appeal the life sentences imposed on two convicted Ansaru terror commanders, arguing that the punishment does not reflect the gravity of their crimes.
In a statement attributed to a senior DSS official, the service said it is seeking the maximum penalty for Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara'a, Abbas or Mukhtar, and Abubakar Abba, also known as Mahmud al-Nigeri or Malam Mamuda.
On Monday, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced both men to life imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to all 32 terrorism-related charges filed against them.
According to the DSS official, the service considers the sentence too lenient, particularly because the two men were allegedly central to demands made by the kidnappers of pupils and teachers from Oriire in Oyo State.
The official claimed the suspects initially pleaded not guilty but changed their position after the rescue of the Oriire victims. He alleged that during the nearly 60-day captivity, the abductors demanded the unconditional release of the two Ansaru commanders in exchange for the kidnapped pupils and teachers.
The DSS further alleged that two teachers were beheaded during the abduction to pressure the government into releasing the suspects.
The service said it would challenge the judgment on appeal, arguing that a life sentence would not adequately serve justice for the slain teachers and their families.
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