The Federal Government has arraigned three suspected members of a terrorist network before the Federal High Court in Abuja over their alleged roles in the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The suspects are facing multiple criminal charges, including terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement to terrorism and illegal mining.
The defendants were brought before the court on Friday after being arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The accused persons were identified as Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, also known as Yunusa bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, popularly known as Abu Itisar.
According to the charge sheet, the trio allegedly conspired with three other suspects—Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed, and Ibrahim Khabab—to plan and execute the kidnapping of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State.
The alleged conspiracy reportedly occurred between January and May 2026, an offence the Federal Government said violates provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Prosecutors further accused the three defendants of knowingly withholding critical information about the planned abduction despite allegedly having prior knowledge of the operation.
The government claimed the suspects failed to alert security authorities and instead aided the execution of the attack, actions it said constitute offences under Nigeria’s anti-terrorism laws.
The Federal Government also alleged that the defendants professed allegiance to Darul Salam, an organisation it described as being affiliated with Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), a terrorist group banned by the Nigerian government.
According to court documents, the alleged affiliation became evident on or about June 2, 2026.
The prosecution argued that the defendants’ alleged membership of the organisation contravenes the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
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Among the three defendants, Abdulrazak Umar is facing additional allegations of playing a leading role within the suspected terrorist network.
According to the prosecution, Umar allegedly organised training sessions for members of the group and issued operational directives to support terrorist activities.
He was also accused of using a WhatsApp platform named “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace” to encourage and recruit individuals for acts of terrorism.
The Federal Government said those actions violate both the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act and the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
Beyond the terrorism-related counts, prosecutors also accused Umar of engaging in illegal mining activities.
The charge alleges that between 2024 and 2026, he unlawfully mined gold from streams in the Chaza area of Suleja Local Government Area, Niger State, without the required legal authorisation.
The alleged offence is said to be contrary to the provisions of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
The Federal Government is expected to present witnesses and documentary evidence during the trial in support of the charges against the defendants.
The court will determine their guilt or innocence after considering the evidence presented throughout the proceedings.