Oyo school abduction: Suspects plead not guilty to amended charges
The Department of State Services, DSS, on Thursday re-arraigned five suspected members of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, also known as Ansaru, over the alleged abduction of about 46 pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The defendants, Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a/Abbas Mukhtar; Abubakar Abbas, aka Isah Adam/Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri; Abdulrazak Umar, aka Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, aka Abu Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, aka Abu Itisar, were arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on a seven-count amended charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2026.
The Federal Government, through the DSS, accused the defendants of several terrorism-related offences, including conspiracy to kidnap about 46 people, aiding the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers, concealing information about an imminent terrorist attack and causing the deaths of two victims.
The two victims named in the charge were Michael Oyedokun and Deacon John Olaleye.
In the first count, the prosecution alleged that Muhammad and Abbas ordered the other three defendants, whom it described as their “foot soldiers” in Ansaru, to kidnap and kill innocent Nigerians in different parts of the country if they were arrested by the Nigerian government.
According to the prosecution, the alleged directive was intended to compel the government to meet the group’s demands.
The charge further alleged that the order resulted in the abduction of about 46 pupils and teachers from Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery/Primary School and L.A. Primary School in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
In another count, the Federal Government accused the defendants of committing an act of terrorism by allegedly causing the death of Deacon John Olaleye through decapitation.
The prosecution said the alleged offence was contrary to Section 2(3)(g) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and punishable under Section 24(2) of the same law.
The defendants were also accused of withholding information concerning an imminent terrorist act and the planned abduction of the victims from law enforcement and security agencies.
In count five, the Federal Government alleged that the defendants conspired with three other suspects — Muhammed Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab — as well as others still at large, to abduct about 46 people, including schoolchildren and teachers, in Oriire.
Umar, Musa and Sani were separately accused of aiding the alleged abduction, while Muhammad and Abbas were accused in count seven of knowingly concealing information about a planned terrorist attack.
The prosecution alleged that the concealed information was connected to the May 15, 2026 abduction and the deaths of Oyedokun and Olaleye.
The charges were brought under various provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
All five defendants pleaded not guilty to the seven counts after the charges were read to them by the registrar of the court.
Following their pleas, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, who led the DSS legal team, applied for the immediate commencement of the trial in accordance with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
Oyedepo also urged the court to protect the identities of the prosecution witnesses by allowing them to testify while wearing masks.
He said the request was necessary to ensure the safety and protection of the witnesses during the proceedings.
Counsel to the defendants, Bala Dakum, did not oppose the prosecution’s application.
Justice Salim Ibrahim subsequently granted the request, paving the way for the prosecution to proceed with the trial under the approved protective measures.
The court thereafter commenced arrangements for the full-scale trial of the five defendants.
The case was adjourned until Friday, September 18, for continuation of hearing.