The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three men to life imprisonment for their roles in the abduction of pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Delivering judgment, Justice Salim Ibrahim ruled that the prison term would commence from the date the convicts were first taken into custody.
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The court found Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid, Yunusa Musa, also called Yunusa bin Musa, and Shamsu Adamu Sani, popularly known as Abu Itisar, guilty of terrorism-related offences connected to the mass kidnapping.
Before the judgment, the defendants admitted guilt to some of the charges filed by the Federal Government while contesting the remaining allegations.
They were prosecuted on a 10-count charge involving terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement and illegal mining.
According to the Federal Government, the three men are members of Darul Salam, a group alleged to be affiliated with Jamaatu Asarul Muslima Fi Bilandis Sudan (Ansaru), a terrorist organisation banned in Nigeria.
Prosecutors told the court that the defendants, all residents of Suleja Local Government Area in Niger State, collaborated with other suspects, including Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab, between January and May 2026 to facilitate the kidnapping of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State.
The government also accused them of withholding information about the identities and activities of those behind the attack despite having prior knowledge of the planned operation.
During the trial, the defendants acknowledged concealing information about those responsible for the abduction and admitted being members of the Darul Salam group.
All three pleaded guilty to counts four and six, while Umar also admitted to additional charges relating to providing ideological training and guidance to members of the group through a WhatsApp platform known as “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace.” They denied the remaining counts.
Following the guilty pleas, the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), who led the prosecution, urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants on the offences they had admitted.
In a plea for mercy, defence counsel described the convicts as first-time offenders who had demonstrated remorse by accepting responsibility for some of the charges.
The lawyer argued that the offences to which they pleaded guilty were not directly connected to carrying out the abduction. He also appealed to the court to consider their family responsibilities, noting that they have wives, children and elderly parents who depend on them, while urging the judge to give them another opportunity.
The prosecution, however, maintained that the convicts knowingly concealed information about the activities of the kidnappers instead of reporting it to security agencies, making them liable under the law.
The Federal Government said the offences violated several provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, including sections dealing with conspiracy, aiding terrorist activities, concealing terrorism-related information and belonging to a prohibited organisation.
After reviewing the arguments presented by both parties, Justice Ibrahim convicted the three defendants and imposed life imprisonment.
The case stemmed from the May 15 attack in which armed men stormed Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area, abducting 46 victims, including 39 pupils and seven teachers.
During the assault, the Assistant Headmaster of L.A. Primary School, Joel Adesiyan, was killed while trying to flee, while Mathematics teacher Michael Oyedokun later lost his life in captivity.
The remaining hostages regained their freedom on July 10 after an intelligence-driven military operation targeted the kidnappers’ camps inside the Old Oyo National Park.
Following the rescue mission, the Nigerian Army announced that 44 pupils and teachers had been rescued, while eight suspected members of the kidnapping syndicate were arrested.
The Presidency also disclosed that no ransom was paid and no negotiations or concessions were made to the kidnappers, who had reportedly demanded N1 billion and the release of one of their detained commanders.
After the successful rescue operation, the Federal Government brought a 10-count charge against the three convicts, accusing them of offences including terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement and illegal mining.
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