The Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday re-arraigned five alleged members of the proscribed Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru) over the alleged abduction of about 46 pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to a seven-count amended charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
They are Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a and Abbas Mukhtar; Abubakar Abbas, aka Isah Adam and Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri; Abdulrazak Umar, aka Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, aka Abu Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, aka Abu Itisar.
The charges relate to the May 15, 2026, attack on three schools in Oriire, where pupils and teachers were abducted. The schools were Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School.
According to the amended charge, the prosecution alleges that Muhammad and Abbas ordered the other defendants to kidnap and kill Nigerians if they were arrested by the government, leading to the abduction of the schoolchildren and teachers.
The defendants are also accused of causing the deaths of two victims, Deacon John Olaleye and Michael Oyedokun. The charge alleges that Olaleye was beheaded.
Other counts accuse the defendants of failing to disclose information about an imminent terrorist act and of aiding the alleged abduction.
The offences were brought under various provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, who led the prosecution team, asked the court to allow protected witnesses to testify while wearing masks. Defence counsel Bala Dakum did not oppose the application, which was granted by Justice Salim Ibrahim.
The trial commenced on Thursday, with a protected witness, identified as “AAA,” giving evidence on the victims’ 56-day ordeal in captivity. The witness told the court that the abductees were moved between six locations and subjected to harsh conditions before their rescue.
The victims were eventually released on July 10, 2026, after 56 days in captivity.
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