Oyo School Kidnap: FG charges suspects to court

The Federal Government on Friday charged three men, Abdulrazak Umar (a.k.a. Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa (a.k.a. Yunusa bin Musa), and Shamsu Adamu Sani (a.k.a. Abu Itisar), for the recent kidnap of children and teachers of a school in Orire Local Government Area (LGA) of Oyo state. Daily Trust reports that gunmen invaded three schools in Oyo on May 15 and abducted students and teachers. One of the teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was beheaded in captivity. The captives regained freedom after 56 days in the forest. A combined operation by security operatives led to their release, while at least officers laid down their lives. Habila’s father insists on ‘no autopsy’, demands daughter’s corpse Security operative gun down man in Rivers On Friday, 10-count charge was filed against the suspects at the Federal High Court, Abuja. The defendants, all of Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, are alleged to have conspired with one Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab between January and May 2026 to kidnap school children and teachers in Oyo State, contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. They are further alleged to have aided the kidnap of the school children and teachers, and to have concealed information regarding the identities and activities of the alleged masterminds despite knowledge of the plot, offences said to contravene Sections 26(2) and 16(1) of the Act respectively. The charge sheet also alleged that the trio, on or about 2nd June 2026, professed membership of Darul Salam, described as an affiliate of Jamaatu Asarul Muslima Fi Bilandis Sudan (Ansaru), a proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria, contrary to Section 25(1) of the Act. In separate counts, the first defendant, Abdulrazak Umar, was accused of providing training and instructions to terrorists and inciting members to commit acts of terrorism through a WhatsApp group titled: “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace,” offences said to contravene Sections 15 and 2(2)(g) of the Terrorism Act as well as Section 18 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015. The tenth count accused Umar of engaging in unlawful gold mining at streams within Chaza area of Suleja LGA between 2024 and 2026, contrary to Section 8(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act. The charges read; “COUNT 1 That you ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID), YUNUSA MUSA (A.K.A YUNUSA BIN MUSA) and SHAMSU ADAMU SANI (A.K.A ABU ITISAR), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January- May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed an offence when you conspired with Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab to kidnap school children and teachers in Orire LGA, Oyo State. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act. COUNT 2 That you ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID). YUNUSA MUSA (A.K.A YUNUSA BIN MUSA) and_SHAMSU ADAMU SANI (A.K.A ABU ITISAR), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January-May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed an offence when you aided Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab in the kidnap of school children and teachers in Orire LGA, Oyo State. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(2) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 26(3) of the Act. COUNT 3 That you ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID). YUNUSA MUSA (A.K.A YUNUSA BIN MUSA) and_SHAMSU ADAMU SANI (A.K.A ABU ITISAR), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January-May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed an offence when you aided Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab in the kidnap of school children and teachers in Orire LGA, Oyo State. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(2) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 26(3) of the Act. COUNT 4 That you ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ ABU KHALID). YUNUSA MUSA (A.K.A YUNUSA BIN MUSA) and_SHAMSU ADAMU SANI (A.K.A ABU ITISAR), adults, all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January-May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence to wit: concealment in that you had information about Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab as terrorists who are masterminds of the kidnap of school children and teachers of Orire LGA of Oyo State but failed to report same to the relevant security operatives. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 16(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

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