The Federal Government has filed a 10-count charge
against three men over the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local
Government Area of Oyo State, accusing them of terrorism-related offences,
kidnapping, concealment, incitement, and illegal mining.
The defendants, identified as 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), all hail from Suleja
Local Government Area of Niger State.
The charges, filed before the Federal High Court in
Abuja, allege that the trio conspired with Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed, and
Ibrahim Khabab between January and May 2026 to kidnap schoolchildren and
teachers in Oriire LGA.
According to the charge sheet, the defendants are
accused of aiding the abduction and concealing information about the identities
and activities of the alleged masterminds despite having prior knowledge of the
plot.
The Federal Government also alleged that on June 2,
2026, the three defendants declared themselves members of Darul Salam, which
prosecutors described as an affiliate of the proscribed terrorist group
Jama'atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru).
Abdulrazak Umar faces additional charges, including
allegedly providing training and operational instructions to terrorists through
a WhatsApp group titled "The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of
Peace." He is also accused of using the platform to encourage members
to engage in acts of terrorism, an offence prosecuted under the Cybercrime
(Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
In a separate count, Umar is accused of engaging in
illegal gold mining at streams in the Chaza area of Suleja Local Government
Area between 2024 and 2026 without lawful authority.
The Federal Government said the offences contravene
provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, the
Cybercrime Act, and the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
The three defendants are expected to appear before the
Federal High Court in Abuja next week for the commencement of proceedings.
Comments:
Leave a Reply