Federal Government has filed a 10-count charge against three men over their alleged involvement in the kidnapping of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The defendants, identified as 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), are to be arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja next week.
The charges border on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, unlawful membership of a proscribed group, incitement and illegal mining.
According to the charge sheet, the three defendants, all from Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, allegedly conspired with three other suspects identified as Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab between January and May 2026 to kidnap schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire LGA of Oyo State.
The Federal Government also alleged that the defendants aided the kidnapping operation and failed to report information concerning the identities and activities of the alleged masterminds to security agencies.
The offences are said to contravene provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In one of the counts, the prosecution alleged that the three defendants professed membership of Darul Salam, described as an affiliate of the proscribed terrorist group Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru).
The charge stated that the offence contravenes Section 25(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The first defendant, Abdulrazak Umar, is separately accused of providing training and instructions to terrorists through a WhatsApp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace.”
He is also alleged to have used the platform to incite members to commit acts of terrorism, contrary to provisions of the Terrorism Act and the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
In a separate count, Umar is accused of engaging in unlawful gold mining between 2024 and 2026 in Chaza area of Suleja Local Government Area without lawful authority, contrary to the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
The prosecution is expected to formally present the charges when the defendants appear before the court next week.
