A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three men to life imprisonment for their involvement in the kidnapping of pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State after they pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges.
Three men linked to the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Federal High Court in Abuja after admitting their roles in the crime.
Justice Salim Ibrahim handed down the sentences on Thursday after the defendants pleaded guilty to several counts bordering on terrorism, concealment of information and involvement with a proscribed terrorist organisation. The court ordered that their jail terms take effect from the date of their arrest.
Convicts Pleaded Guilty
The convicts were identified as:
- Abdulrazak Umar (also known as Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid)
- Yunusa Musa (also known as Yunusa Bin Musa)
- Shamsu Adamu Sani (also known as Abu Itisar)
They were arraigned by the Federal Government on a 10-count charge that included terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement and related offences.
All three admitted concealing information about those responsible for the abduction and acknowledged belonging to Darul Salam, an affiliate of the proscribed terrorist group Ansaru. Abdulrazak Umar also pleaded guilty to additional counts relating to terrorist training, operational instructions and incitement.
Court Imposes Life Sentence
Following their guilty pleas, Justice Ibrahim convicted the defendants and sentenced them to life imprisonment.
The prosecution, led by the Department of State Services (DSS), opposed pleas for leniency by the defence, arguing that the convicts knowingly concealed information about terrorist activities and failed in their civic duty to report those responsible for the attack.
The prosecution maintained that the offences were grave and warranted severe punishment given their impact on innocent schoolchildren, teachers and the wider public.
Background to the Oriire School Abduction
The case stems from the May 2026 abduction of dozens of pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area.
The incident triggered a major security operation involving multiple agencies. The victims were eventually rescued during an intelligence-led operation after weeks in captivity, while several suspects linked to the attack were arrested.
The case is one of several terrorism-related prosecutions arising from the kidnapping.
Wider Anti-Terrorism Crackdown
The latest convictions come days after another Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced two senior Ansaru commanders to life imprisonment for terrorism-related offences.
The DSS has since indicated its intention to challenge those earlier life sentences, arguing that the punishment was too lenient and seeking the death penalty instead.