The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three men to life imprisonment for their roles in the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The convicts—Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa, and Shamsudin Sani—were sentenced on Thursday, July 23, 2026, by Justice Salim Ibrahim after being found guilty on charges related to the kidnapping case.
The three men also admitted to being members of Darul Salam, a group identified as an affiliate of the banned terrorist organization Ansaru.
During the proceedings, Abdulrazak Umar and Shamsudin Sani pleaded guilty to charges of providing training, issuing instructions, and encouraging members of a WhatsApp group named “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace.”
In a separate count, Abdulrazak Umar also admitted to illegally mining gold in streams located in the Chaza area of Suleja Local Government Area, Niger State, without the required legal authorization.
Although the defendants accepted responsibility for some of the charges, they pleaded not guilty to several others brought against them.
While delivering judgment, Justice Ibrahim ruled that the life sentences would take effect from the date the convicts were first arrested.
Before sentencing, defence counsel appealed for leniency, describing the men as first-time offenders who had shown remorse by pleading guilty. The lawyer argued that the charges to which they admitted were not directly connected to the kidnapping and urged the court to consider their family responsibilities, noting that the convicts are married, have children, and support elderly parents.
The prosecution opposed the request for a lighter sentence, arguing that the defendants had knowledge of terrorist activities and individuals involved in armed operations but failed to report the information to security agencies.
The Federal Government had prosecuted the trio over their alleged involvement in the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, an incident that occurred between January and May 2026.
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