Two commanders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU) terror group and three of their foot-soldiers were yesterday arraigned before a Federal High Court(FHC) in Abuja for abducting Oyo State schoolchildren and killing two of their teachers.
The five are Mahmud Muhammad (aka Abu Bara’a/ Abbas Mukhtar); Abubakar Abbas (alias Isah Adam,/ Mahmuda Al-Nigeri); Abdulrazak Umar (aka Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid); Yunusa Musa (aka Abu Yunusa Bin Musa), and Shamsu Sani (aka Abu Itisar).
Another terror suspect, Samaila Kaigama, was arraigned alone in the same court by the DSS for allegedly raising funds in support of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (Boko Haram).
Umar, Musa and Sani were one week ago sentenced to life imprisonment by the FHC after they pleaded guilty to offences linked to the abduction of the pupils and the teachers.
Feelers had emerged after the trio’s sentencing that the DSS was dissatisfied and hence decided to rearraign them with Mohammad and Abbas instead of going on an appeal.
Muhammad and Abbas were, in count one, accused of ordering Umar, Musa and Sani to, in the event of their arrest, kidnap people and kill them in all parts of the country to compel the government to accede to their demands.
In count two, the DSS alleged that the May 15 kidnap of the pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government and the killing of two of the teachers were in furtherance of the said order given by Muhammad and Abbas between 2025 and 2026.
The five were in count three, accused of concealing information about the Oriire kidnap and killings without reporting same to any law enforcement or security officer.
In count four, Umar, Musa and Sani were accused of conspiring with Muhammad, Abbas and other leaders of the Ansaru terrorist group, sometime between January and May, 2026, to carry out the Oriire kidnap and killings.
Umar, Musa and Sani were, in count five, accused of aiding Muhammad, Abbas and other members of the Ansaru group to effect the Oriire kidnap and killings.
Umar, Musa and Sani were, in count six, accused of concealing information about the Oriire incidents and failing to report same to any law enforcement agency or security officer.
The five pleaded not guilty when each count on the charge sheet was read to them. That made the prosecuting lawyer, Caliatus Eze, ask the court to remand the defendants in the protective custody of the DSS.
Justice Salim Ibrahim granted the request but ordered that the defendants be accorded unhindered access to their lawyers and two members of their immediate families.
Justice Ibrahim, who also directed that they should be given adequate medical attention, adjourned till September 25 for the commencement of trial.
Ruling on Kaigama’s case, the judge ordered that he should also be remanded in DSS custody till September 24.
He also ordered that the DSS grant him unrestricted access to his lawyer, his wife and his uncle. Kaigama had pleaded not guilty when a four-count charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/439/2026, was read to him
He is accused of concealing information about acts of terrorism by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (Boko Haram) and directly and willingly soliciting, acquiring, collecting, receiving, and possessing funds from unsuspecting members of the public, with the intention and knowledge that it will be used to finance ISWAP and Boko Haram.
Kaigama is also accused of knowingly and directly or indirectly rendering support to terrorist groups by providing material assistance and financial services to ISWAP and Boko Haram and knowingly possessing terrorist funds, facilitating transactions and providing financial services in respect of terrorist funds at the direction of ISWAP and Boko Haram.
Following the defendant’s not guilty plea, prosecuting lawyer Eze applied that the defendant be remanded in the protective custody of the DSS in the interest of national security and that of the defendant.
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