24/07/2026
Life imprisonment for Oriretan School kidnappers.
Oriire Kidnapping: Court Jails Three T€rror Convicts for Life
The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three men linked to the abd£ction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State to life imprisonment.
Justice Salim Ibrahim ordered that the life sentence should take effect from the date of their arrest after convicting Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid, Yunusa Musa (Yunusa bin Musa), and Shamsu Adamu Sani (Abu Itisar) on t£rrorism-related charges arising from the school kidnapping.
The convicts were arraigned by the Federal Government on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement, and ill£gal mining.
According to the prosecution, the three men are members of Darul Salam, an affiliate of the proscribed terrorist group, Jamaatu Asarul Muslima Fi Bilandis Sudan (Ansaru).
The Federal Government alleged that between January and May 2026, the defendants conspired with other suspects to facilitate the abd¥ction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. They were also accused of concealing information about the identities and activities of those behind the att@ck despite having prior knowledge of the plot.
During the trial, the defendants admitted concealing information about the k!dnapping and acknowledged their membership of Darul Salam. All three pleaded guilty to some of the charges, while Abdulrazak Umar additionally admitted to providing training and instructions to members of the group through a WhatsApp platform titled "The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace."
Following the guilty pleas, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants on the counts they admitted.
Counsel to the defendants appealed for leniency, describing them as first-time offenders who had shown remorse by pleadi
