Federal High Court Jails Three Oriire School Abduction Suspects for Life

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three suspects linked to the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State to life imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to terrorism-related offences.

Justice Salim Ibrahim ruled that the life sentences of Abdulrazak Umar (also known as Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa (alias Yunusa Bin Musa), and Shamsu Adamu Sani (alias Abu Itisar) will take effect from the date of their arrest.

During the sentencing, defence counsel urged the court to temper justice with mercy, arguing that the defendants were first-time offenders who pleaded guilty and had shown remorse.

The lawyer also appealed to the court to consider that the convicts were married with children and had elderly parents who depended on them, asking that they be given a second chance.

However, the prosecution maintained that the convicts knowingly concealed information about terrorist activities and failed to alert security authorities despite being aware of those involved.

The three defendants pleaded guilty to membership of a proscribed terrorist organisation and concealing information relating to the planning and execution of the Oriire abduction.

In addition, Abdulrazak Umar admitted guilt to four extra counts involving terrorist training, issuing operational instructions, and inciting members of the terror group through religious ideology.

The suspects, all from Niger State, were arraigned by the Department of State Services (DSS) on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, and facilitating terrorist training through a messaging platform.

Following their guilty pleas, the court convicted and sentenced them to life imprisonment.