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FG Charges Two Alleged Ansaru Leaders, Three Others Over Oriire Teachers’ Killings
Five suspects, including two alleged Ansaru leaders, have been arraigned over the abduction and killing of teachers in Oriire, Oyo State.
The Federal Government has brought fresh terrorism charges against five suspects, including two alleged commanders of the Ansaru terrorist group, over the killing of two teachers abducted from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The defendants appeared before Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court in Abuja, where they were remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) pending trial.
Those arraigned include Abubakar Abba Mahmuda Abu Bara’a and Abubakar Abbas, popularly known as Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri. According to the DSS, both men were arrested in August 2025, while the remaining three defendants allegedly served as foot soldiers involved in the Oriire school attack.
Justice Ibrahim adjourned the matter until September 24 for the commencement of trial.
The arraignment follows an earlier judgment delivered on July 23, in which the same court sentenced three defendants to life imprisonment over their involvement in the kidnapping of students and teachers from a school in Oriire.
The convicts — Abdulrazak Umar (also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa (Yunusa bin Musa) and Shamsu Adamu Sani (Abu Itisar) — pleaded guilty to some of the allegations contained in a 10-count charge involving terrorism, kidnapping, concealment, incitement and illegal mining.
The court heard that the defendants admitted withholding information about those behind the school attack and acknowledged membership of Darul Salam, an affiliate of the outlawed Jamaatu Asarul Muslima Fi Bilandis Sudan (Ansaru).
Only Umar admitted guilt to additional counts alleging that he trained and instructed terrorists through a WhatsApp group called “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace.”
He also admitted engaging in unlawful gold mining in the Chaza area of Suleja Local Government Area between 2024 and 2026, contrary to the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
Although the three convicts denied taking part directly in the Oriire attack, they maintained their innocence on the remaining counts before the court.
Justice Ibrahim scheduled September 16 and 17 for hearing on the outstanding charges, while the DSS said it would appeal the life sentences on the grounds that the offences deserved capital punishment.
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