Kidnap Of OriirePupils, Teachers: FG Charges Three To Court

By Adesina Soyooye 

Three of the alleged Kidnappers of the Oriire school children and teachers, have been charged to Court by the Federal Government.

Both the Presidency and Security Agencies, in their separate briefings and updates had said that eight of the kidnappers were arrested while an undisclosed number were neutrallsed during the operations.

Later, however, it was reported that five out of the arrested eight had died due to severe injuries  while three remain alive. Apparently, it is the three that have now been charged.

Those charged are 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). The three are all from Suleja,  Niger State, Nigeria.

The 10-count charge preferred against them by the Federal Government before an Abuja Federal High Court are wrapped around terrorism, kidnapping, concealment, incitement and illegal mining.

According to the Court filings, the three, between January and May 2026,  allegedly, conspired with one Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab, to kidnap school children and teachers in Oyo State. This offence is  contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

They are also charged with allegedly aiding the kidnap of the school children and teachers, and concealed information of the identities and activities of the alleged masterminds despite knowledge of the plot, offences said to contravene Sections 26(2) and 16(1) of the Act respectively.

In the charge sheet, the three were also alleged to have on, or about 2nd June 2026, professed  membership of Darul Salam, an affiliate of Jamaatu Asarul Muslima Fi Bilandis Sudan (Ansaru), a proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria. This, the charge said, is contrary to Section 25(1) of the Act.

The first defendant, Abdulrazak Umar, in seperate counts, is pointedly accused of providing training and instructions to terrorists and inciting members to commit acts of terrorism through a *WhatsApp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace.”* These offences  contravene Sections 15 and 2(2)(g) of the Terrorism Act as well as Section 18 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.

The tenth count alleged that Umar engaged in unlawful gold mining at streams within Chaza area of Suleja LGA between 2024 and 2026, contrary to Section 8(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.

The charges read as follows:

“COUNT 1

That you 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), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January- May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed an offence when you conspired with Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab to kidnap school children and teachers in Orire LGA, Oyo State. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

COUNT 2

That you 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), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January-May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed an offence when you aided Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab in the kidnap of school children and teachers in Orire LGA, Oyo State. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(2) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 26(3) of the Act.

COUNT 3

That you 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), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January-May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed an offence when you aided Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab in the kidnap of school children and teachers in Orire LGA, Oyo State. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(2) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 26(3) of the Act.

COUNT 4

That you 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), adults, all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January-May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court 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 Oriire 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.

COUNT 5

That you ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID), YUNUSA MUSA (A.K.A YUNUSA BIN MUSA) and_SHAMSU ADAMU SANT (A.K.A ABU ITISAR), adults, all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January-May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence to wit: concealment in that you had information about the kidnap of school children and teachers of Orire LGA of Oyo State by Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab but failed to report same to the relevant security operatives to facilitate their apprehension. 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.

COUNT 6

That you 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), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State_on or about the 2nd June, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence to wit: membership when you professed to be members of Darul Salam, an affiliate of Jamaatu 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.

COUNT 7

That you ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID), Male, adult of Sandako, Suleja LGA, Niger State_on or about July, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence in that you provided training and instructions to terrorists via your whatsapp group tited “The oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace”. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

COUNT 8

That you ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID), Male, adult of Sandako, Suleja LGA, Niger State on or about July at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence in that you provided training and instructions to terrorists via your whatsapp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace”. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2(2)(g) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

COUNT 9

That you ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID), Male, adult of Sandako, Suleja LGA, Niger State_on or about July at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence when you incited your members on your whatsapp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace” through your preachings to commit acts of terrorism. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

COUNT 10

That you ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID), Male, adult of Sandako, Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between 2024-2026 at Chaza Area, Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence in that you engaged in mining of Gold at streams in Chaza area, Suleja LGA, Niger State without lawful authority. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, LN 2004 and punishable under the same Section of the Act”.

It is not known, however, if the three being charged were arrested on July 10 when the victims regained  freedom, or arrested before then – in the process of trailing the kidnappers.

The Oyo school children and their teachers were abducted from their schools on May 15, 2026. Three of the teachers lost their lives – one within the  school premises on the day of abduction, and two, gruesomely murdered while in captivity.