The Federal Government on Friday arraigned three men allegedly arrested by the Department of State Services over the kidnapping of schoolchildren and teachers in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The defendants; Abdulrazak Umar also known as Abu Khalifa, Yunusa Musa popularly called Yunusa bin Musa, and Shamsu Adamu Sani also known as Abu Itisar, were charged before the Federal High Court in Abuja on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement, and illegal mining.
According to the charge sheet, the defendants, who hailed from Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, allegedly conspired with Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed, and Ibrahim Khabab between January and May 2026, to kidnap schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State, contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
They were also accused of aiding the abduction and concealing information about the identities and activities of the alleged masterminds, despite having prior knowledge of the plot, offences said to contravene Sections 26(2) and 16(1) of the Act.
The Federal Government further alleged that the three defendants, on or about June 2, 2026, professed membership of Darul Salam, described as an affiliate of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), a proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria, contrary to Section 25(1) of the Terrorism Act.
In separate counts, the first defendant, Abdulrazak Umar, was specifically 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. The offences allegedly contravene Sections 15 and 2(2)(g) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, as well as Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
The 10th count accused Umar of engaging in unlawful gold mining at streams in the Chaza area of Suleja Local Government Area between 2024 and 2026, contrary to Section 8(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
