The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday sentenced three men arrested by the Department of State Services, DSS, to life imprisonment for their role in the recent abduction of students in Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State.
The convicts are Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid, Yinusa Musa, also known as Yunusa Bin Musa, and Shamu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar.
Justice Salim Ibrahim handed down the sentence after the three pleaded guilty to two of the 10 counts contained in charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/412/2026.
The court held that their guilty pleas, coupled with the evidence presented by the prosecution, warranted the maximum sentence under the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act.
The counts, to which they pleaded guilty, read:
.That you, Abdulrazak Umar (a k a Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yinusa Musa (a k a Yunusa Bin Musa) and Shamu Adamu Sani (a k a Abu Itisar), adults, all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State, did commit an offence to wit: concealment, in that you had information about Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab as terrorists, who are masterminds of the kidnap of school children and teachers of Orire LGA of Oyo State, but failed to report same to the relevant security operatives. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 16(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act.
.That you, Abdulrazak Umar (a k a Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yinusa Musa (a k a Yunusa Bin Musa) and Shamu Adamu Sani (a k a Abu Itisar), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State on or about the 2nd June, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State, did commit an offence to wit: membership, when you professed to be members of Darul Salam, an affiliate of Jamadadtu Asarul Muslima Fi Bilandis Sudan (Ansaru), a proscribed terrorist group in Nigeria. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 25(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act.
Last Friday, the Federal Government charged three men, 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), for the recent kidnap of children and teachers of a school in Orire Local Government Area (LGA) of Oyo state.
The 10-count charge filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja, borders on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment, incitement and illegal mining.
The defendants, all residents of Suleja Local Government Area in Niger State, are alleged to have conspired with Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab between January and May 2026 to kidnap school children and teachers in Oyo State, an offence contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
They are also accused of aiding the abduction and concealing information about the identities and activities of the alleged masterminds despite having knowledge of the plot, offences said to violate Sections 26(2) and 16(1) of the same Act.
The charge sheet further alleged that on or about June 2, 2026, the three men professed membership of Darul Salam, an affiliate of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan, Ansaru, a proscribed terrorist organization in Nigeria, contrary to Section 25(1) of the Act.
In separate counts, first defendant Abdulrazak Umar is specifically accused of providing training and instructions to terrorists and inciting members to commit terrorist acts through a WhatsApp group named “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace”. The offences contravene Sections 15 and 2(2)(g) of the Terrorism Act and Section 18 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
Count 10 also alleged that Umar engaged in unlawful gold mining at streams in the Chaza area of Suleja LGA between 2024 and 2026, contrary to Section 8(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
