FG Arraigns Three Over Abduction of Oyo Students, Teachers

The Federal Government has filed a 10-count charge against three men over the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The suspects, identified as 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), were charged before the Federal High Court in Abuja on allegations bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment, incitement and illegal mining.

According to the charge sheet, the defendants, all from Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, allegedly conspired with three other suspects identified as Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab between January and May 2026 to kidnap schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State.

The Federal Government further alleged that the trio aided the abduction and deliberately concealed information about the identities and activities of the alleged masterminds despite having knowledge of the plot, offences said to be in violation of relevant provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act.

Prosecutors also accused the three men of professing membership of Darul Salam, described as an affiliate of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), a proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria.

In addition, the first defendant, Abdulrazak Umar, is accused of providing training and instructions to terrorists and using a WhatsApp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace” to incite members to commit acts of terrorism, contrary to the Terrorism Act and the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.

Umar also faces a separate charge of allegedly engaging in illegal gold mining at streams in the Chaza area of Suleja Local Government Area between 2024 and 2026, an offence said to contravene the Miscellaneous Offences Act.

The three defendants are expected to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja next week to answer the charges.