The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three individuals to life imprisonment following their conviction on terrorism related charges tied to the abduction of school pupils and teachers in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Justice Salim Ibrahim ruled that the life sentences for Abdulrazak Umar (also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa (Yunusa bin Musa), and Shamsu Adamu Sani (Abu Itisar) will officially take effect from the date of their initial arrest.

Charges and Court Proceedings

The defendants, all residents of the Suleja Local Government Area in Niger State, faced a 10-count charge filed by the Federal Government involving:

• Terrorism and kidnapping

• Concealment of information regarding terrorist plots

• Incitement and illegal mining

Prosecution evidence linked the trio to Darul Salam, an affiliate of the proscribed terrorist group Jamaatu Asarul Muslima Fi Bilandis Sudan, commonly known as Ansaru. The government established that between January and May 2026, the men conspired with additional suspects to facilitate the school raids and failed to inform security agencies despite having direct knowledge of the masterminds and their plans.

During the proceedings, all three men entered guilty pleas for concealing information about the attack and for maintaining membership in Darul Salam. Additionally, Umar admitted guilt to separate charges involving the training and instruction of group members through a WhatsApp channel. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the remaining counts on the charge sheet.

Legal Arguments and Judicial Ruling

Following the partial guilty pleas, the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, requested immediate sentencing on the counts admitted by the accused.

Defense counsel appealed for judicial leniency, pointing out that the defendants were first-time offenders who showed remorse by admitting guilt. The defense argued that the counts admitted did not directly involve the physical execution of the abductions and urged the court to consider their domestic responsibilities as married men supporting young children and elderly parents.

The prosecution countered that as citizens, the men had a clear obligation to report imminent threats to national security authorities. The court agreed with the prosecution, finding their actions punishable under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022, and handed down life sentences.

Background of the Incident and Rescue Operation

The legal action follows a May 15 assault by armed gunmen on Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School within the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area. The attackers abducted 46 individuals, including 39 students and seven teachers.

The raid and subsequent captivity resulted in two deaths:

• Joel Adesiyan, Assistant Headmaster of L.A. Primary School, who was slain while attempting to escape during the raid.

• Michael Oyedokun, a mathematics teacher, who was killed by the abductors while in captivity.

On July 10, a military operation targeted kidnapper encampments in the Old Oyo National Park, successfully rescuing the 44 surviving hostages and capturing eight suspected gang members. The Presidency later confirmed that the military secured the victims' release without paying ransom or granting concessions, despite the abductors' previous demands for one billion naira and the release of an imprisoned commander.