FG Arraigns Two Ansaru Commanders, Three Others Over Oriire School Terror Attack

The Federal Government has arraigned five suspects, including two alleged Ansaru terrorist commanders, over their alleged roles in the abduction and beheading of two teachers kidnapped during the attack on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The suspects, identified as Abubakar Abba Mahmuda Abu Bara’a, Abubakar Abbas, also known as Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri, and three others described by the Department of State Services (DSS) as foot soldiers, were brought before Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The DSS said the two alleged commanders were arrested in August 2025, while the remaining three defendants were directly linked to the Oriire school attack. Justice Ibrahim ordered that all five suspects be remanded in DSS custody and fixed September 24 for the commencement of their trial.

The arraignment comes days after the same court sentenced three other suspects to life imprisonment for their roles in the Oriire school abduction. The convicts, Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa and Shamsu Adamu Sani, pleaded guilty to charges including terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement and illegal mining.

Although the three convicts admitted concealing information about the attack and belonging to Darul Salam, an affiliate of the banned Ansaru group, they denied taking part in the actual school attack. Justice Ibrahim fixed September 16 and 17 for the continuation of their trial on the remaining counts, while the DSS has indicated it will appeal the life sentences, arguing that the offences warrant the death penalty.