By David Lawani, Abuja
The Federal Government has arraigned three suspected members of a terrorist network allegedly linked to the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State, slamming them with a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of terrorist activities, incitement and illegal mining.
The suspects, Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, also known as Yunusa bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar, were charged before the Federal High Court in Abuja following investigations by the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to the charge sheet, the three defendants allegedly conspired between January and May 2026 with Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab to kidnap pupils and teachers in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The Federal Government alleged that the defendants played active roles in planning and facilitating the abduction and deliberately concealed information that could have led to the arrest of the suspected masterminds.
The prosecution further accused them of failing to report intelligence on the activities of the terrorist group despite allegedly having prior knowledge of the planned attack, an offence under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Court documents also alleged that on or about June 2, 2026, the three defendants professed membership of Darul Salam, described as an affiliate of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), a proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria.
The first defendant, Abdulrazak Umar, faces additional charges of allegedly providing ideological and operational training to members of the group through a WhatsApp platform titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace.”
He was also accused of using the platform to incite members to commit acts of terrorism in violation of both the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
In another count, Umar was accused of engaging in illegal gold mining between 2024 and 2026 at streams in the Chaza area of Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State without lawful authority.
The Federal Government said the unlawful mining activities contravened the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
The charge sheet listed offences including conspiracy to commit terrorism-related offences, aiding kidnapping, concealment of terrorist activities, membership of a proscribed terrorist organisation, provision of terrorist training, incitement to terrorism and unlawful mining.
A security source disclosed that the suspects would appear before the Federal High Court next week for arraignment following the DSS’s conclusion of its investigations.
“Investigations are continuing, and other suspects linked to the Orire school abduction are still being interrogated as efforts intensify to dismantle the network behind the attack,” the source said.
The source added that security agencies remained committed to identifying and prosecuting every individual connected with the kidnapping syndicate.
The charges come amid intensified efforts by security agencies to crack down on terrorist cells and criminal networks responsible for attacks on schools and communities across the country.
The defendants, however, are presumed innocent until proven guilty by the court
