The Federal Government has arraigned three suspects—Abdulrazak Umar (also known as Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa (Yunusa bin Musa), and Shamsu Adamu Sani (Abu Itisar)—before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The defendants, all from Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, are facing a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement, membership of a banned terrorist group, and illegal gold mining.
According to the charges, the three men allegedly conspired with other suspects between January and May 2026 to plan and support the kidnapping. They were also accused of failing to report information about the alleged masterminds to security agencies despite having prior knowledge of the plot.
Prosecutors further alleged that the suspects admitted belonging to Darul Salam, said to be affiliated with the banned terrorist group Ansaru. In addition, Abdulrazak Umar was separately charged with allegedly using a WhatsApp group to provide terrorist-related training, encourage extremist activities, and incite members to commit acts of terrorism.
Umar is also facing an additional charge of illegal gold mining in parts of Suleja, Niger State, between 2024 and 2026 without lawful authority.
A security source disclosed that the suspects are expected to appear in court next week following the conclusion of investigations, while inquiries into other individuals connected to the case are still ongoing.
