The Department of State Services on Thursday re-arraigned five suspected members of Ansaru before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the alleged abduction of about 46 pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. The defendants — Mahmud Muhammad, Abubakar Abbas, Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa and Shamsu Adamu Sani — face a seven-count amended charge including conspiracy to kidnap, aiding the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers, concealing information about an imminent terrorist attack, and causing the deaths of two victims, Michael Oyedokun and Deacon John Olaleye.
The prosecution alleged that Muhammad and Abbas ordered three co-defendants, described as their “foot soldiers,” to kidnap and kill Nigerians in the event of their arrest to compel government concession to their demands, an order it said led to the abduction of pupils and teachers from three schools in Oriire. Count two accused the defendants of decapitating Olaleye, while Umar, Musa and Sani were separately accused of aiding the abduction, and Muhammad and Abbas were accused of concealing information about the attack that allegedly led to the May 15, 2026 abduction and deaths.
All five defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, applied for immediate commencement of trial and for prosecution witnesses to testify with masked identities for protection, a request defence counsel Bala Dakum did not oppose and which Justice Salim Ibrahim granted. The case was adjourned to Friday, September 18, for continuation of hearing.
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