Five men alleged to be members of the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, also known as Ansaru, have pleaded not guilty to amended terrorism charges over the abduction of about 46 pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
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The defendants — Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar; Abubakar Abbas, also known as Isah Adam or Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri; Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, also known as Abu Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar — were re-arraigned on Thursday before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
They were brought before Justice Salim Ibrahim by the Federal Government through the State Security Service, SSS, on a seven-count amended charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2026.
The prosecution accused the defendants of terrorism-related offences arising from the May 15, 2026 abduction of about 46 pupils and teachers from Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery/Primary School and L.A. Primary School in Oriire.
The charges include conspiracy to kidnap, aiding the alleged abduction of schoolchildren and teachers, failure to disclose information about an imminent terrorist attack and offences connected with the deaths of two victims identified as Michael Oyedokun and Deacon John Olaleye.
In one of the counts, the prosecution alleged that Muhammad and Abbas directed Umar, Musa and Sani, described in the charge as their “foot soldiers” in Ansaru, to abduct and kill Nigerians if the first two defendants were arrested by the government, allegedly with the aim of compelling the authorities to meet their demands.
The Federal Government further alleged that the directive ultimately resulted in the abduction of the pupils and teachers in Oyo State.
In another count, the prosecution accused the defendants of causing the death of Deacon John Olaleye by decapitation sometime between 2025 and 2026.
The charge alleged that the act constituted an offence under Section 2(3)(g) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, punishable under Section 24(2) of the same law.
The defendants were also accused of failing to disclose information about an imminent terrorist attack and the planned abduction to law enforcement or security agencies.
The prosecution further alleged that the five defendants conspired with three other suspects — Muhammed Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab — as well as others still at large, to abduct about 46 persons, including pupils and teachers, in Oriire.
Umar, Musa and Sani were separately accused of aiding the alleged abduction, while Muhammad and Abbas were accused of knowingly concealing information about the planned attack that allegedly resulted in the May 15 abduction and the deaths of Oyedokun and Olaleye.
All five defendants pleaded not guilty after the amended seven-count charge was read to them.
Following their pleas, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, who led the prosecution team, asked the court to commence trial immediately pursuant to the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
Oyedepo also applied for protective measures for prosecution witnesses, asking the court to conceal their identities and permit them to testify while wearing masks because of security concerns.
Defence counsel Bala Dakum did not oppose the application.
Justice Ibrahim consequently granted the prosecution’s request and directed that arrangements be made for the substantive trial to proceed.
The matter was adjourned until Friday, September 18, 2026, for continuation of hearing.
The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until found guilty by the court.
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