ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three members of a terrorist group to life imprisonment for their roles in the abduction of teachers and students from a school in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Justice Salim Ibrahim handed down the sentence after the convicts pleaded guilty to terrorism-related offences brought against them by the Federal Government.
The convicts Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid, Yunusa Musa (alias Yunusa bin Musa), and Shamsu Adamu Sani (alias Abu Itisar) admitted concealing information about the masterminds of the school attack and belonging to Darul Salam, an affiliate of the proscribed terrorist group, Jamaatu Asarul Muslima Fi Bilandis Sudan (Ansaru).
They were arraigned on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement and illegal mining.
During Thursday’s proceedings, all three defendants pleaded guilty to counts four and six of the charge, while Umar separately admitted guilt to four additional counts relating to the training and radicalisation of terrorists through a WhatsApp platform known as “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace.”
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The defendants, however, denied the remaining allegations.
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 they admitted.
Justice Ibrahim subsequently sentenced the three convicts to life imprisonment.
The Federal Government told the court that the convicts, all natives of Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, conspired with other suspects Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab, between January and May 2026 to kidnap schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State.
The prosecution according to Vanguard, further alleged that they knowingly assisted the kidnappers by concealing information about the identities and activities of the masterminds despite being aware of the plot.
The government also accused them of confessing to membership of Darul Salam, a proscribed terrorist organisation, an offence punishable under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.