Nigeria, Sept. 10 -- The federal government will on Thursday arraign two top leaders of Ansaru, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The globally wanted defendants are Mahmud Muhammed Usman (a.k.a. Abu Bara'a/Abbas Mukhtar) and his deputy, Abubakar Abba (a.k.a. Isah Adam/Mahmud Al-Nigeri).

They will face trial before judge Emeka Nwite on 32 counts of terrorism.

The federal government, through M.B. Abubakar, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, filed the charges on 4 September, on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.

One of the counts accused Messrs Usman, from Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State, and Mr Abba, from Daura ...