Court sentences 3 terrorists to life imprisonment over Oyo school abduction

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday sentenced three terrorists linked to the recent abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State to life imprisonment.

The presiding judge, Justice Salim Ibrahim, sentenced the three terrorists after they pleaded guilty to some of the counts in a 10-count terrorism charge preferred against them by the federal government.

Justice Ibrahim, who gave the insurgents the maximum sentencing in count six which attracted life imprisonment, sentenced them to a 25-year jail term in count four.

The convicts – Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa, and Shamsu Adamu Sani – pleaded guilty to counts four and six.

Umar, who was the only one mentioned in counts seven, eight, nine and ten, pleaded guilty to all the four counts.

The judge equally sentenced Umar to a maximum sentencing of life imprisonment in counts seven, nine, and 10, just as he committed the terrorist to a 20-year imprisonment in count eight.

Justice Ibrahim, thereafter, adjourned the matter until September 16 and 17 for
the commencement of trial in counts one, two, three, and five where the terrorists pleaded not guilty.

The terrorists, who were arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS), hail from Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State.

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The offence, according to the DSS, is contrary to Section 25(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

The Star recalls that some pupils and teachers of Baptist Nursery/Primary School, Yawota, L. A. Primary School, Esiele, and Community Grammar School, Esiele, near Ogbomoso, were abducted by terrorists on May 15, 2026.

The hostages were marched into the dense forest inside the Old Oyo National Park, which borders 10 LGAs of Oyo State, as well as Kwara, Kogi, and Niger States.

Two of the teachers abducted by the terrorists were later killed in captivity, bringing to three the number of fatalities recorded from the incident as a motorcyclist was killed during the attack.

The abducted victims numbering 44 were rescued on July 10, 2026, after 56 days in captivity. The successful operation by security operatives resulted in the arrest of eight suspected kidnappers and the neutralisation of several others.