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By Victor Osula, Abuja
The Federal Government has laid a 10-count terrorism charge against three suspected Ansaru-linked members accused of masterminding the kidnapping of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The charges relate to the abduction of 39 pupils and seven teachers, who were rescued last week after spending 56 days in captivity following a prolonged military and intelligence operation.
The accused, including 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 for offenses under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 and the Miscellaneous Offenses Law.
According to the 10-count indictment, the suspects, all from Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, allegedly conspired with three other suspected terrorists (Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab) between January and May 2026 to kidnap school children and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The prosecution alleged that the conspiracy violated section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The indictment also accused the three suspects of actively contributing to the execution of the kidnapping by supporting the alleged instigators, contrary to section 26(2) of the law.
Court documents also allege that the defendants deliberately withheld information regarding the identity and activities of the alleged terrorists despite having knowledge of the planned kidnapping, offenses punishable under section 16(1) of the Terrorism Act.
The three suspects were also accused of claiming to belong to Darul Salam, described in the indictment as affiliated with Jamaatu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), a proscribed terrorist organization in Nigeria.
According to prosecutors, the suspects openly declared themselves members of the group on or around June 2, 2026, an offense punishable under section 25(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Separate counts were preferred against the first defendant, Abdulrazak Umar, accusing him of providing terrorist training and operational instructions through a WhatsApp platform titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace”.
The prosecution alleged that Umar used the platform to train and indoctrinate individuals for terrorist activities, contrary to Section 15 of the Terrorism Act.
He was also accused of using extremist sermons on the WhatsApp group to incite members to commit acts of terrorism, contrary to Section 18 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015.
Beyond the terrorism-related charges, prosecutors accused Umar of engaging in illegal gold mining in waterways located in Chaza area of Suleja Local Government Area between 2024 and 2026 without lawful authority.
The alleged crime was governed by Article 8(b) of the Law on Miscellaneous Crimes.
A security source familiar with the case revealed that the three suspects will be produced before the Federal High Court next week following the conclusion of the investigation.
The source added that investigations into other alleged members of the network are still ongoing.
“Others are still under investigation as the agency insists on diligent investigations,” the source said.
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