A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday sentenced three men to life imprisonment for their involvement in the abduction of pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Justice Salim Ibrahim handed down the sentence after the three defendants pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges brought against them by the Federal Government.
The convicts are Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, also known as Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamu Adamu Sani, alias Abu Itisar.
The trio, all from Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, were arraigned on a 10-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/412/2026.
They pleaded guilty to counts four and six, which bordered on concealing information about the masterminds of the school abduction and professing membership of Darul Salam, an affiliate of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), a proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria.
Count four of the charge reads: “That you, Abdulrazak Umar (a k a Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yinusa Musa (a k a Yunusa Bin Musa) and Shamu Adamu Sani (a k a Abu Itisar), adults, all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State, did commit an offence to wit: concealment, in that you had information about Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab as terrorists, who are masterminds of the kidnap of school children and teachers of Orire LGA of Oyo State, but failed to report same to the relevant security operatives. You thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 16(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and punishable under the same section of the Act.”
Count six states: “That you, Abdulrazak Umar (aka Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yinusa Musa (a k a Yunusa Bin Musa) and Shamu Adamu Sani (aka Abu Itisar), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State on or about the 2nd June, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State, did commit an offence to wit: membership, when you professed to be members of Darul Salam, an affiliate of Jamadadtu Asarul Muslima Fi Bilandis Sudan (Ansaru), a proscribed terrorist group in Nigeria. You thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 25(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and punishable under the same section of the Act.”
Justice Ibrahim sentenced the three convicts to life imprisonment on the terrorism count and ordered that the sentences take effect from the date of their arrest.
Abdulrazak Umar, who also pleaded guilty to additional counts relating to terrorist training, incitement and passing instructions to members of the group, received further prison terms, including additional life sentences on some of the counts.
The court adjourned the remaining counts, to which the defendants pleaded not guilty, until September 16 and 17 for trial.
The convicts were arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) over the May 15 attack on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area, during which gunmen abducted 39 pupils and seven teachers.
A teacher was later killed in captivity, while the remaining victims regained their freedom on July 10 after spending 56 days in captivity during a security operation that also led to the arrest of several suspects.
