Court sentences three to life imprisonment over Oyo school kidnapping

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three men to life imprisonment for their roles in the kidnapping of students and teachers from a school in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

 

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) after they pleaded guilty to some of the charges brought against them by the Federal Government.

 

The defendants were arraigned on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement and illegal mining.

 

They admitted concealing information about the masterminds of the school kidnapping and also confessed to being members of Darul Salam, which prosecutors described as an affiliate of the proscribed terrorist group Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru).

 

While all three defendants pleaded guilty to counts four and six, Umar additionally pleaded guilty to counts seven to ten, which alleged that he provided training and instructions to terrorists through a WhatsApp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace.”

 

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the remaining counts.

 

Following the guilty pleas, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants on the charges to which they admitted guilt.

 

Justice Ibrahim subsequently sentenced the three men to life imprisonment.

 

According to the prosecution, the convicts, all from Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, conspired with other suspects between January and May 2026 to kidnap schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State.

 

The Federal Government also alleged that they aided the kidnapping operation, concealed information about the identities and activities of the alleged masterminds, and admitted membership of a proscribed terrorist organisation, contrary to the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.