The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday heard that two alleged leaders of the Ansaru terrorist group, standing trial for terrorism offences, are wanted by the United States and the United Kingdom over alleged acts of terror.

The defendants, Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a and Abbas Mukhtar, and Abubakar Abbas, also known as Isah Adam and Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri, are among five Ansaru members being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS).

The court admitted a video showing the alleged beheading of a church deacon and a schoolteacher abducted in Oriire, Oyo State, as evidence in the trial.

Justice Ibrahim Salim admitted the footage as Exhibit Oyo 1 after it was played in open court.

The judge also admitted as Exhibit Oyo 2 a list of demands allegedly submitted by the terrorist group to the Federal Government through the Oyo State Government. The list contained the names of 30 suspected Ansaru members reportedly held in detention facilities across the country.

During the proceedings, a DSS operative, identified by the codename BBB, told the court that the group claimed in the video that it had killed one of its captives because the government delayed meeting its demands for the release of detained members.

The witness, who said he was part of the DSS team that investigated the Oriire abduction, testified that the video was released while the group held its victims in anticipation of a possible prisoner swap.

He said the terrorists threatened to kill the captives, including infants, schoolchildren and women, if their demands were not met.

The witness also alleged that the teacher’s body was cut into pieces after the killing to prevent security operatives from advancing on the group’s forest hideout.

The video was tendered by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Oyedepo Rotimi, SAN, who appeared for the DSS through the witness.

The prosecution alleged that the demand for Abubakar Abbas’s release was specifically pursued because he was a commander in Ansaru, which the witness linked to the killing of military officers in Nigeria.

Abbas’s name featured on the list of detained members the group allegedly demanded should be released.

During cross-examination by defence counsel Bala Dakum, the witness said the captives’ phones were used to communicate with government officials during negotiations.

He further testified that Abbas was used as a bargaining chip in negotiations for the release of a woman and her infant held by the group.

According to the witness, the terrorists threatened to kill all the captives if the government failed to meet their demands.

The witness also told the court that schoolteacher and church deacon John Olaleye was killed and decapitated after the group accused government negotiators of failing to secure Abbas’s release.

The five defendants standing trial are Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a and Abbas Mukhtar; Abubakar Abbas, also known as Isah Adam and Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri; Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, also known as Abu Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar.

Justice Salim adjourned the case until November 19 and 20 for continuation of the trial.