The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three men to life imprisonment for their involvement in the kidnapping of students and teachers from a school in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Justice Salim Ibrahim handed down the sentence after the defendants — 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 — pleaded guilty to some of the terrorism-related charges filed against them by the Federal Government.
The trio was arraigned on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement, and illegal mining. During proceedings, they admitted concealing information about the masterminds of the school abduction and acknowledged being members of Darul Salam, an affiliate of the proscribed terrorist group Jamaatu Asarul Muslima Fi Bilandis Sudan (Ansaru).
All three defendants pleaded guilty to counts four and six, while Abdulrazak Umar additionally admitted to four other counts relating to providing training, instructions, and incitement through a WhatsApp group known as “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace.” They pleaded not guilty to the remaining charges.
Following their 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 other suspects between January and May 2026 to kidnap school children and teachers in Oyo State.
They were also accused of aiding the abduction, concealing information about the perpetrators, and belonging to a proscribed terrorist organisation, contrary to the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.