By Akinwale Kasali
In a landmark judgment by Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court in Abuja, three men accused of complicity in the recent abduction of Students and Teachers of Schools in the Oriire Local Government of Oyo State, have been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Their trial and sentencing goes down as one of the fastest in the history of Nigeria’s terrorism trials.
The trio, 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) were arrested by the Department of State Services, DSS.
They were convicted and sentenced by the Judge after they pleaded guilty to two out of the 10 counts, contained in a charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/412/2026.
The three pleaded guilty to counts four and six, relating to concealment of information about the activities of those behind the abduction and professing to be members of Darul Salam, an affiliate of Jamadadtu Asarul Muslima Fi Bilandis Sudan (Ansaru), a proscribed terrorist group in Nigeria.
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”.
Prior to the sentencing, the Counsel for the defendants had pleaded with the court to sentence them on liberal terms.
He added that they were first-time offenders and had pleaded guilty.
He 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 in 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.
The Court sentenced them to life Imprisonment after weighing arguments from both parties.
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