Court Jails Three Over Oyo School Kidnapping

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three men linked to the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State to life imprisonment after they admitted to terrorism-related offences.

Justice Salim Ibrahim convicted Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid, Yunusa Musa, also known as Yunusa Bin Musa, and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar. The court ordered that their life imprisonment sentences should take effect from the date of their arrest.

The Department of State Services (DSS) prosecuted the three defendants on a 10-count charge involving terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information and related offences. Before sentencing, defence counsel urged the court to show mercy, arguing that the men were first-time offenders who had voluntarily pleaded guilty and demonstrated genuine remorse. The lawyer also told the court that the convicts were married, had children and elderly parents who depended on them, and appealed for another chance to rebuild their lives.

However, the prosecution opposed the request, insisting that the defendants deliberately concealed information about terrorist activities despite knowing those involved. Prosecutors argued that they failed in their duty to report information that could have helped prevent terrorist attacks.

The defendants admitted to belonging to a proscribed terrorist organisation and confessed to concealing information linked to the planning and execution of the Oriire school kidnapping. Abdulrazak Umar also pleaded guilty to additional charges involving terrorist training, passing operational instructions and encouraging members of a terrorist group through the promotion of a particular religious ideology.

According to the charge sheet, the three men, who are natives of Niger State, withheld intelligence about terrorist activities, took part in kidnapping operations and used a messaging platform to coordinate terrorist training. After considering their guilty pleas, the court sentenced all three to life imprisonment.

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