Court sentence suspects for Oriire school kidnap to life imprisonment

Justice Salim Ibrahim of di Federal High Court Abuja don sentence three suspects wey di Nigeria govment accuse say dem get hand for di kidnap of school children and teachers for Oriire local govment area of Oyo State, south west Nigeria go life imprisonment.

Di court convict - Abdulrazak Umar wey dey popular as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid, Yunusa Musa wey pipo sabi as Yunusa bin Musa, and Shamsu Adamu Sani alias Abu Itisar, afta dem plead guilty to di allegations wey govment bin sama dem.

According to di court, dia sentencing go start from di date of dia arrest.

Dia sentencing dey come few days afta Nigeria govment sama 10 count charges for dia head.

Di three men bin dey charged wit terrorism-related offences, kidnapping, concealing information, incitement and illegal mining.

Dia convictions also dey come days afta Nigerian govment announce say dem don rescue 44 pupils and school staff wey di terrorists kidnap wen dem attack three schools for Oriire district on 16 May. One teacher die during di attack and anoda one die for captivity.

According to court documents, di defendants agree say dem hide information about pipo wey dey behind di school attack.

Prosecutors also say di defendants confess say dem be members of Darul Salam, wey be affiliate of Ansaru terrorist group of Nigeria, one group wey di govment describe as affiliate of di Islamist armed group Boko Haram.

All di three defendants bin plead guilty to counts four and six of di charge.

However one of dem, Umar alias Abu Khalid plead guilty to counts 7,8,9, and 10. E also claim say na im dey provide training and instructions give members of di group through one WhatsApp group wey di title na "Di Oneness of Allah na di Foundation of Peace".

Di three men deny di remaining charges.

Prosecutors allege say di defendants wey come frm Suleja local govment area of Niger state, bin conspire wit Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab between January and May 2026 to kidnap schoolchildren and teachers for Oyo State, and dem hide di information about dos wey dey responsible even though dem dey aware of di plan.

Afta dem plead guilty on some of di charges, di prosecution say make di court give dem maximum sentence.

Di judge come sentence all di three men to life imprisonment.

Di Oyo abduction, wey authorities link to jihadist groups, bin trigger protests from parents, teachers' unions and rights organisations, wey call for stronger measures to protect schools.

Di attack bin skake di kontri becos jihadist violence for Nigeria according to history dey happun mostly for north-east, wia groups like Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap) don carry out years of attacks.

Nigeria son see increase in mass kidnappings wey target schools, communities and places of worship, and insecurity don bicom major political issue ahead of di 2027 elections.

Govment say dem dey intensify efforts to tackle insurgency and criminal groups, but continued attacks don raise questions ova weda current security measures dey enough to protect civilians.

Wetin be di 10-count charges govment sama on dem

Count 1

Dat you Abdulrazak Umar (a.k.a Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa(a.k.a Yunusa Bin Musa) and Shamsu Adamu Sani(a.k.a Abu Itisar), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January- May, 2026 for Suleja LGA, Niger State within di jurisdiction of dis Honourable Court commit offence wen you conspire wit Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab to kidnap school children and teachers in Orire LGA, Oyo State. You thereby commit an offence contrary to Section 26(1) of di Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under di same section of di Act.

Count 2

Dat you Abdulrazak Umar (a.k.a Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa(a.k.a Yunusa Bin Musa) and Shamsu Adamu Sani(a.k.a Abu Itisar), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January- May, 2026 for Suleja LGA, Niger State within di jurisdiction of dis Honourable Court commit offence wen you aid Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab for di kidnap of school children and teachers in Orire LGA, Oyo State. You thereby commit offence contrary to Section 26(2) of di Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 26(3) of di Act.

Count 3

Dat you Abdulrazak Umar (a.k.a Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa(a.k.a Yunusa Bin Musa) and Shamsu Adamu Sani(a.k.a Abu Itisar), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January- May, 2026 for Suleja LGA, Niger State within di jurisdiction of dis Honourable Court commit offence wen you aid Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab in the kidnap of school children and teachers in Orire LGA, Oyo State. You thereby commit offence contrary to Section 26(2) of di Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 26(3) of di Act.

Count 4

Dat you Abdulrazak Umar (a.k.a Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa(a.k.a Yunusa Bin Musa) and Shamsu Adamu Sani(a.k.a Abu Itisar), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January- May, 2026 for Suleja LGA, Niger State within di jurisdiction of dis Honourable Court commit offence to wit: concealment even though you bin get information about Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab as terrorists wey be masterminds of di kidnap of school children and teachers of Orire LGA of Oyo State but failed to report am to di relevant security operatives. You thereby commit offence contrary to Section 16(1) of di Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under di same section of di Act.

Count 5

Dat you Abdulrazak Umar (a.k.a Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa(a.k.a Yunusa Bin Musa) and Shamsu Adamu Sani(a.k.a Abu Itisar), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January- May, 2026 for Suleja LGA, Niger State within di jurisdiction of dis Honourable Court commit offence to wit: concealment even though you bin get information about di kidnap of school children and teachers of Orire LGA of Oyo State by Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab but failed to report same to di relevant security operatives to facilitate dia arrest. You thereby commit offence contrary to Section 16(1) of di Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under di same section of di Act.

Count 6

Dat you Abdulrazak Umar (a.k.a Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa(a.k.a Yunusa Bin Musa) and Shamsu Adamu Sani(a.k.a Abu Itisar), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State on or about di 2nd June, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within di jurisdiction of dis Honourable Court commit offence to wit: membership wen you professed to be members of Darul Salam, an affiliate of Jamaatu Asarul Muslima Fi Bilandis Sudan (Ansaru) wey be proscribed terrorist group in Nigeria. You thereby commit offence contrary to Section 25(1) of di Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under di same section of di Act.

Count 7

That you Abdulrazak Umar(a.k.a Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), male, adult of Sandako, Suleja LGA, Niger State_on or about July, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within di jurisdiction of dis Honourable Court don commit offence wen you provide training and instructions to terrorists via your whatsapp group titled "The oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace". You thereby commit offence contrary to Section 15 of di Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under di same section of di Act.

Count 8

Dat you Abdulrazak Umar(a.k.a Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), male, adult of Sandako, Suleja LGA, Niger State on or about July for Suleja LGA, Niger State within di jurisdiction of dis Honourable Court commit offence wen you provide training and instructions to terrorists via your whatsapp group titled "The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace". You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2(2)(g) of di Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under di same section of di Act.

Count 9

Dat you Abdulrazak Umar(a.k.a Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Male, adult of Sandako, Suleja LGA, Niger State_on or about July for Suleja LGA, Niger State within di jurisdiction of dis Honourable Court commit offence wen you ginger your members on your whatsapp group titled "The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace" through your preachings to commit acts of terrorism. You thereby commit an offence contrary to Section 18 of di Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under di same section of di Act.

Count 10

Dat you Abdulrazak Umar (a.k.a Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Male, adult of Sandako, Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between 2024-2026 at Chaza Area, Suleja LGA, Niger State within di jurisdiction of dis Honourable Court commit offence wen you engaged in mining of Gold for streams for Chaza area, Suleja LGA, Niger State without lawful authority. You thereby commit offence contrary to Section 8(b) of di Miscellaneous Offences Act, LN 2004 and punishable under di same Section of di Act".

According to di security source, di suspects dey expected to appear for court next week wen dem don conclude investigation. "Dem still dey probe odas as di Agency insist on diligent investigation " im add.