The Federal Government has arraigned three men before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the abduction of pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The defendants — Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa and Shamsu Adamu Sani — are facing a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement and illegal mining.
The charges were filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday.
Umar is also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid, Musa as Yunusa bin Musa, and Sani as Abu Itisar. All three are from Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State.
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The prosecution alleged that the three defendants conspired with Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab between January and May to carry out the abduction of the pupils and teachers in Oyo State. It added that the alleged offence violated Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The Federal Government further accused the defendants of facilitating the kidnapping and deliberately concealing information about the identities and activities of the alleged masterminds despite having prior knowledge of the planned attack.
According to the charge sheet, the defendants, all from Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, allegedly conspired with Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed, and Ibrahim Khabab between January and May 2026 to kidnap schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State, contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
They were also accused of aiding the abduction and concealing information about the identities and activities of the alleged masterminds despite having prior knowledge of the plot, offences said to contravene Sections 26(2) and 16(1) of the Act.
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The Federal Government further alleged that on or about June 2, 2026, the three defendants professed membership of Darul Salam, described as an affiliate of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), a proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria, contrary to Section 25(1) of the Terrorism Act.
In separate counts, the first defendant, Abdulrazak Umar, was specifically accused of providing training and instructions to terrorists and inciting members to commit acts of terrorism through a WhatsApp group titled The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace. The offences allegedly contravene Sections 15 and 2(2)(g) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, as well as Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
The 10th count accused Umar of engaging in unlawful gold mining at streams in the Chaza area of Suleja Local Government Area between 2024 and 2026, contrary to Section 8(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
The arraignment comes about a week after the abducted pupils and teachers from Ahoro-Esiele and Yawota schools regained their freedom.
Recalls that 39 pupils and seven teachers were abducted on May 15 after bandits attacked Community Grammar School, Ahoro-Esiele, and Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota. The attack also claimed the lives of a teacher and a commercial motorcyclist.
