BREAKING: Kidnappers of Oyo schoolchildren plead guilty to charges, court sentences them to life imprisonment

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three men to life imprisonment for their roles in the kidnapping of teachers and pupils from a school in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Justice Salim Ibrahim handed down the sentence after the convicts — Abdulrazak Umar (also known as Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa (also known as Yunusa bin Musa), and Shamsu Adamu Sani (also known as Abu Itisar) — pleaded guilty to several terrorism-related offences brought against them by the Federal Government.

The three defendants were arraigned on Thursday on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement and illegal mining.

During the proceedings, the convicts admitted concealing information about those responsible for the abduction of the schoolchildren and teachers.

They also confessed to being members of Darul Salam, a group the prosecution identified as an affiliate of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), a terrorist organisation proscribed by the Federal Government.

While all three defendants pleaded guilty to counts four and six of the charge, only Abdulrazak Umar admitted guilt to counts seven, eight, nine and 10, which accused him of providing terrorist training and sharing extremist messages through a WhatsApp group named “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace.”

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the remaining charges.

Following their guilty plea, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), urged the court to convict and sentence them on the counts they had admitted.

Justice Ibrahim subsequently sentenced the three men to life imprisonment.

According to the prosecution, the convicts, all from Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, conspired with Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab between January and May 2026 to facilitate the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State, contrary to the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The Federal Government further accused them of aiding the kidnapping operation and deliberately concealing information about the identities and activities of the alleged masterminds despite having prior knowledge of the plot.

Investigators also told the court that the defendants admitted during interrogation on June 2 to being members of the proscribed terrorist group, an offence punishable under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The conviction marks another major breakthrough in the prosecution of suspects linked to terrorist activities and the kidnapping of schoolchildren in Nigeria.

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