7 IPOB Commanders Face Court Trial Over Terrorism Financing, DSS Files Charges
By Naija Enquirer Staff
The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed terrorism charges against seven key commanders of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), accusing them of receiving financial and operational support from Finland-based agitator, Simon Ekpa.
The suspects, charged in three separate cases – FHC/ABJ/CR/632/2025, FHC/ABJ/CR/633/2025 and FHC/ABJ/CR/634/2025 – were alleged to have coordinated attacks, arms procurement, and funding streams for IPOB and its militant wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
According to the DSS, the accused individuals acted as commanders, arms couriers, and foot soldiers directly receiving funds from Ekpa, who has been convicted in Finland on terror-related charges.
Nigerian-Based BDC Operator Accused of Terror Financing
A prominent suspect, Ibrahim Ali Larabo, was alleged to have played a central role in IPOB’s financial operations. Larabo, an illegal immigrant from Niger Republic, operated an unlicensed Bureau de Change (BDC) and allegedly managed large financial transfers used to sponsor terrorism in the South-East.
Investigators say he disbursed money for weapons acquisition, coordinated payments for ESN operations, and worked directly with Ekpa’s network.
DSS Secures Conviction of ISWAP Commander
In a related development, the DSS has secured the conviction of notorious Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) leader, Ismaila, aka Mai Tangaran, who coordinated the 2012 attack on the Police Headquarters in Bompai, Kano, among other violent acts.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced Ismaila to 15 years on count one and 20 years each on counts two, three, and four, to run concurrently after an eight-year trial that began in 2017.
More High-Profile Terror Suspects Set for Trial
Two internationally wanted suspects — Mahmud Muhammad Usman (aka Mamuda) and Abubakar Abba (aka Abu Baara) — will continue their trial on January 15, 2026. They are accused of terrorism financing and supporting extremist operations.
Meanwhile, the prosecution of Khalid Al-Barnawi, alleged mastermind of the 2011 UN building bombing in Abuja, remains ongoing, with Barnawi and four others still standing trial in connection with the attack.
Owo Church Attack and Other Prosecutions
Five suspects are also being tried under FHC/ABJ/CR/301/2025 for their roles in the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, which left dozens dead and many injured.
Additionally, the DSS is prosecuting 10 suspects linked to mass killings in Benue and Plateau states, following a directive by President Bola Tinubu to apprehend perpetrators of violent crimes.
More Arrests Await Court Arraignment
Among those scheduled for arraignment are Abdulazeez Obadaki (aka Bomboy), identified as an ISWAP leader connected to attacks on churches in Owo and Okene, and Musa Abubakar, a major arms manufacturer arrested in Plateau State.
The DSS says both men confessed to roles in arms production, coordination of attacks, and links to international terror networks.
DSS Pushes for Stronger Terror Prosecution
The Director-General of the DSS, Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, who assumed office in August 2024, ordered a forensic-based review of all inherited c
