The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three men to life imprisonment for their roles in the kidnapping of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Justice Salim Ibrahim handed the sentences after convicting Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid, Yunusa Musa, also known as Yunusa bin Musa, and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar, following their guilty pleas to some of the charges filed against them by the Federal Government.
The defendants were arraigned on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement and illegal mining.
They admitted concealing information about the masterminds of the school attack and confessed to being members of Darul Salam, an affiliate of the proscribed terrorist group Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru).
While all three defendants pleaded guilty to counts four and six, Umar additionally admitted guilt to counts seven, eight, nine and ten, which accused him of providing training and instructions to terrorists through a WhatsApp group known as “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace.”
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the remaining charges.
Following the guilty pleas, the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), urged the court to convict and sentence them on the counts to which they admitted guilt.
According to the prosecution, the convicts, all from Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, conspired with three other suspects—Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab—between January and May 2026 to kidnap students and teachers in Oyo State, contrary to the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The Federal Government also accused them of aiding the kidnapping operation, concealing information about the identities and activities of the alleged masterminds, and belonging to a proscribed terrorist organisation, all in violation of relevant provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
