Three men have been sentenced to life imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Abuja over their involvement in the kidnapping of pupils and teachers in Oriire LGA, Oyo State.
Justice Salim Ibrahim handed down the sentence on Wednesday after Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa, and Shamsu Adamu Sani pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges.
The court heard that the men, from Suleja, Niger State, admitted to concealing information about the attack’s masterminds and to membership of Darul Salam, an affiliate of the banned group Ansaru.
Prosecutors alleged that between January and May 2026, the trio conspired to kidnap school children and teachers in Oyo State. Umar also admitted to providing terrorist training via a WhatsApp group.
A DSS investigator told the court that the defendants made voluntary statements, which were recorded on video in the presence of their lawyer.
The judge convicted them on the counts they admitted to and adjourned the case to September 16 and 17, 2026, for trial to continue on the charges they denied.
