By Sandra Kenneth
The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three men to life imprisonment for their involvement with a proscribed terrorist faction linked to the May 2026 abduction of 46 school pupils and teachers in Oyo State.
Justice Salim Ibrahim delivered the judgment, ordering that the life terms take effect from the date of the convicts’ initial arrest.
The convicts Abdulrazak Umar (alias Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa (Yunusa bin Musa), and Shamsu Adamu Sani (Abu Itisar), were found guilty on charges bordering on terrorism and aiding kidnapping activities. All three hail from Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State.
Terrorist Ties and Partial Guilt
According to the prosecution, the trio belonged to Darul Salam, an affiliate of Jamaatu Asarul Muslima Fi Bilandis Sudan (Ansaru), a designated terrorist organization in Nigeria.
The Federal Government’s 10-count indictment charged the men with:
Terrorism and aiding kidnapping.
Concealment of information regarding terrorist acts.
Incitement and illegal mining operations.
While the defendants pleaded not guilty to the primary kidnapping counts, they admitted guilt to counts four and six, acknowledging their membership in Darul Salam and confessing to concealing crucial details about the masterminds behind the school raid.
Additionally, Umar pleaded guilty to administering training and instructional directives to group members via a WhatsApp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace.”
Arguments for Leniency Rejected
Following the partial guilty pleas, the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, pressed the court for immediate sentencing on the admitted counts.
Counsel for the defense appealed for clemency, describing the men as first-time offenders who demonstrated remorse through their pleas. Defense attorneys argued that the admitted charges were indirect and urged the court to grant a second chance considering the convicts’ family obligations to young children and aged parents.
Countering the plea for mercy, Oyedepo argued that as citizens, the defendants had a legal and moral obligation to report known terrorist plots to law enforcement agencies rather than withholding critical information.
Agreeing with the prosecution’s submissions under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, Justice Ibrahim sentenced all three to life behind bars.
Background on the Attack
The convictions stem from a violent May 15 raid in which gunmen stormed Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School across the Esiele and Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The assailants abducted 39 pupils and seven teachers. During the attack, Joel Adesiyan, Assistant Headmaster at L.A. Primary School, was shot dead while trying to escape, while Mathematics teacher Michael Oyedokun was subsequently murdered in captivity.
The remaining 44 hostages were rescued on July 10 following an intelligence-driven military operation targeting terrorist hideouts inside the Old Oyo National Park.
