The Federal Government on Friday arraigned three suspected terrorists before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the kidnapping of schoolchildren, teachers, and a principal in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The suspects identified as Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa, and Shamsu Adamu Sani—face a 10-count charge including terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement, and illegal mining.
According to the prosecution, the defendants conspired with others currently at large to carry out the coordinated abductions between January and May 2026.
The charges are tied to the May 15, 2026, assault on communities in Oriire, where armed men abducted dozens of pupils and educators. While the victims were rescued by security forces on July 10, 2026, after 56 days in captivity, two teachers, Joel Adesiyan and Michael Oyedokun, were killed during the incident.
The prosecution further alleged that the defendants professed membership in Darul Salam, an affiliate of the proscribed terrorist group Ansaru. Abdulrazak Umar allegedly used a WhatsApp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace” to incite terrorism and provided training to camp members.
Umar also faces charges for running illegal gold mining operations in Suleja, Niger State, between 2024 and 2026. The offenses violate provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, the Cybercrime Act, 2015, and the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
The court ordered that the defendants be remanded in custody pending the commencement of the trial.
