Department of State Services (DSS) is set to re-arraign five suspected members of the Ansaru terrorist group over their alleged involvement in the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Gatekeepers News reports that the defendants are Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a and Abbas Mukhtar; Abubakar Abbas, also known as Isah Adam and Mahmuda Al-Nigeri; Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa and Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, also known as Abu Yunusa bin Musa; and Shamsu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar.
They are facing a six-count amended charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2026, filed on behalf of the Federal Government by Rotimi Oyedepo, Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation. The government accused the defendants of belonging to Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, commonly known as Ansaru.
The matter was initially listed for re-arraignment before Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday. However, proceedings were adjourned to Thursday after the defendants requested to be represented by a lawyer of their choice.
A Legal Aid Council official, Akilaluyel Shettima, appeared for the five defendants, but the first defendant, Mahmud, objected to the representation. He told the court that they had previously been represented by Bala Dakum and wanted him to continue as their counsel.
The prosecution accepted that the defendants had a constitutional right to choose their lawyer. Justice Ibrahim subsequently adjourned the case until Thursday and directed the defendants to contact Dakum and ensure his presence in court. The judge also ordered the DSS to give the defendants access to their counsel to enable them prepare their defence.
The case stems from the May 15 attack on three schools in Oriire LGA, during which 39 pupils and seven teachers were abducted. Two people were killed during the incident, while one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was later killed in captivity.
The Federal Government announced on July 10 that the remaining abductees had been rescued following a joint security operation.
The latest proceedings follow fresh terrorism charges filed by the DSS in July against the same five men. They had previously been convicted in separate proceedings, with Mahmud Muhammad and Abubakar Abbas sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to terrorism charges. Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa and Shamsu Sani were also sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to offences linked to the Oyo school abduction.
The fresh six-count charge relates to alleged offences under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
