JUST IN: Court Sentences Three to Life Imprisonment for Oyo School Abduction After Pleading Guilty
A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three men to life imprisonment for their roles in the abduction of students and teachers from a school in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Justice Salim Ibrahim handed down the sentences on Thursday after Abdulrazak Umar (a.k.a Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa (a.k.a Yunusa bin Musa), and Shamsu Adamu Sani (a.k.a Abu Itisar) pleaded guilty to key charges in a 10-count terrorism and kidnapping case brought by the Federal Government.
The trio admitted to being members of Darul Salam, an affiliate of the banned terrorist organisation Ansaru (Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan). They also confessed to concealing information about the masterminds of the school abduction.
All three pleaded guilty to counts four and six of the charge sheet. Umar additionally pleaded guilty to counts seven through 10, which accused him of training and instructing terrorist recruits through a WhatsApp group called “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace.” The defendants denied all other counts.
Following the guilty pleas, Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, who led the prosecution, urged the court to proceed with sentencing on the admitted counts.
According to the charges, the three men, residents of Suleja Local Government Area in Niger State, conspired with Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed, and Ibrahim Khabab between January and May 2026 to kidnap schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State. This violated Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Prosecutors alleged the defendants assisted in the abduction and concealed vital information about the masterminds’ identities and activities, contrary to Sections 26(2) and 16(1) of the Act. They were also accused of admitting membership of the proscribed group around June 2, 2026, breaching Section 25(1) of the Act.
The convictions and life sentences represent a significant milestone in the prosecution of individuals linked to the high-profile school kidnapping in Oyo State.