Oyo School Abduction: Three Plead Guilty To Terrorism Charges
Three defendants standing trial over the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have pleaded guilty to charges relating to the concealment of information about the alleged masterminds of the attack.
The defendants, Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa and Shamsudin Sani, were arraigned before Justice Salem Ibrahim of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The first and third defendants, Abdulrazak Umar and Shamsudin Sani, also pleaded guilty to belonging to Darul Salam, described in the case as an affiliate of the proscribed terrorist organisation, Ansaru.
Umar and Sani further pleaded guilty to providing training and instructions and inciting members of a WhatsApp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace.”
Umar also pleaded guilty to illegally mining gold at streams in the Chaza area of Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State without lawful authorisation.
However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to other charges brought against them.
The Federal Government had earlier arraigned the three men over their alleged involvement in the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State between January and May 2026.
Before the court proceeds to convict the defendants on the charges to which they pleaded guilty, the prosecution called a witness, an investigator with the Department of State Services, DSS, to review the facts of the case.
The court is expected to consider the evidence presented before proceeding with the next stage of the trial.
Ichie Times understands that the case highlights the continued efforts of security and judicial authorities to prosecute individuals accused of involvement in terrorism related activities and the abduction of schoolchildren and their teachers.
