The Federal High Court, Abuja, has sentenced three suspects in the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State to life imprisonment.
Three convicts, Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa, and Shamsudin Sani were convicted and sentenced on Thursday, July 23, 2026.
The trio arraigned before Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal high Court Abuja, also pleaded guilty to being members of Darul Salam, an affiliate Ansaru, a proscribed terrorist organization.
The first and third defendant Abdulrazak Umar and Shamsudin Sani pleaded guilty to providing training, instructions, and inciting members of their WhatsApp group titled “The oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace”
Abdulrazak Umar also pleaded guilty to mining of Gold at streams in Chaza area, Suleja LGA, Niger State without lawful authorization.
However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to other charges as it affects them respectively.
Justice Salim ordered that the life sentence should start from the date of the convicts’ arrest.
Before the sentencing by Justice Salim Ibrahim, counsel for the defendants pleaded with the court to sentence them on liberal terms.
He added that they were first-time offenders and had pleaded guilty.Ibrahim pointed out that this showed that they were remorseful of their actions, and all the counts they were charged with are not related to the kidnapping.
He added that the convicts were married men who have children and have aged parents who are dependent on them.
He pleaded with the court to give them a second chance at life and sentence them on liberal terms.
Counsel for the prosecution, however, pointed out that the convicts were aware of the people on the battlefield, and as true Nigerians, they should have reported it to the authorities. NigerianRelocation Services
The federal government has arraigned the trio over their involvement in the kidnapping of school children and teachers in Oriire local government area of Oyo State, between January and May 2026.