The Federal Government on Friday arraigned three men before the Federal High Court in Abuja over their alleged roles in the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The suspects, who were arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), are facing a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement to terrorism, and illegal mining.
The defendants were identified as Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, also known as Yunusa bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar.
According to the charge sheet, the three men, all from Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, allegedly conspired with three other suspects—Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed, and Ibrahim Khabab—to carry out the kidnapping of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State.
The prosecution alleged that the conspiracy occurred between January and May 2026, contrary to the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The Federal Government further accused the defendants of assisting in the execution of the abduction and deliberately withholding information about the identities and activities of the alleged masterminds despite having prior knowledge of the plot.
According to the prosecution, the alleged offences violate Sections 26(2) and 16(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In one of the charges, the government alleged that on or about June 2, 2026, the defendants claimed membership of Darul Salam, which it described as an affiliate of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan, commonly known as Ansaru, a group proscribed as a terrorist organisation in Nigeria.
The charge is said to be contrary to Section 25(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act.
The prosecution also alleged that the first defendant, Abdulrazak Umar, played a leading role in the activities of the group by providing operational training and instructions to members, as well as using a WhatsApp platform titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace” to encourage acts of terrorism.
These allegations are said to contravene Sections 15 and 2(2)(g) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, alongside Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
In addition to the terrorism-related charges, Umar is accused of engaging in illegal gold mining between 2024 and 2026 in streams located in the Chaza area of Suleja Local Government Area, Niger State, an offence alleged to be contrary to Section 8(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
The Federal Government is expected to present evidence in support of the charges as the trial continues, while the court will determine the guilt or innocence of the defendants based on the evidence presented during the proceedings.