The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued life sentences to three men involved in the abduction of students and teachers from a school in the Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State. Justice Salim Ibrahim handed down the judgment after the defendants, Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa, and Shamsu Adamu Sani, entered guilty pleas regarding specific charges brought by the Federal Government.
During their appearance on Thursday, the trio faced ten charges, including terrorism, kidnapping, and illegal mining. While they denied several counts, they admitted to concealing information about those who orchestrated the attack and confirmed their affiliation with Darul Salam, a group linked to the banned organization Ansaru. Specifically, Umar also admitted to providing terrorist training through a WhatsApp group.
Rotimi Oyedepo, the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, requested that the court sentence the men based on their admissions. The convicts, who reside in Suleja, Niger State, were accused of working with others between January and May 2026 to carry out the kidnapping. Their actions violated the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022 by aiding the abduction and failing to report the identities of the primary planners.
