The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday, convicted and sentenced three men linked to the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State to life imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges.
The convicts, 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, were sentenced by Justice Salim Ibrahim.
The judge ordered that the life sentence should take effect from the date of their arrest.
The trio were arraigned by the Federal Government on a 10-count charge bordering on conspiracy, aiding kidnapping, concealing information about terrorists, and professing membership of the proscribed Darul Salam sect, an affiliate of the Ansaru terrorist group.
The defendants pleaded guilty to the charges.
Before sentencing, counsel for the convicts pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, describing them as first-time offenders who had shown remorse by admitting their guilt.
The lawyer argued that the offences for which they were convicted were not directly related to the actual kidnapping and urged the court to consider that they were married with children and had aged parents who depended on them for support.
He appealed to the court to give them “a second chance at life” by imposing a lighter sentence.
However, the prosecution opposed the plea for leniency, arguing that the convicts knowingly concealed information about the masterminds of the abduction and failed to report them to security agencies despite being aware of the planned operation.
Justice Ibrahim rejected the plea and sentenced the three convicts to life imprisonment.
The prosecution had accused the defendants of conspiring with other suspects, including Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed, and Ibrahim Khabab, to kidnap pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire LGA between January and May 2026.
They were also accused of aiding the kidnapping and concealing information that could have led to the arrest of those responsible.
The case arose from the May 15, 2026, abduction of pupils and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Armed men invaded the schools and abducted 39 pupils and six teachers, taking them to a forest hideout.
You will recall that the victims regained their freedom on July 10 after a coordinated operation involving troops, the Department of State Services, and other security agencies.
Announcing the rescue, President Bola Tinubu, through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said security forces had dismantled the kidnappers’ network, arrested several suspects, and neutralised others during the operation.
Following the rescue, the Federal Government filed terrorism-related charges against the suspects, accusing them of conspiring with members of the proscribed Darul Salam sect, aiding the abduction, and concealing information that could have led to the arrest of the masterminds.
Meanwhile, reacting to the judgment, the Elesinele of Esinele, Oba Tajudeen Adeoye, on Thursday lamented the judgment, saying, “The suspects are supposed to be killed, not sentenced to life imprisonment.”
He disclosed this while speaking with news men on the telephone in Ibadan, the state capital, on Thursday.
This, according to the monarch, would serve as a deterrent to other bandits and terrorists disturbing the peace across the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria.
Oba Adeoye said, “They are supposed to be killed, not sentenced to life imprisonment. They should be killed immediately because if another government comes to power, it might release some prisoners, including the convicts. Before the abducted schoolchildren and their teachers were rescued, Army officers, members of the Nigeria Western Security Network codenamed Amotekun, Police officers, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps members, vigilantes, local hunters and many others were killed by these heartless people.
“So, they (kidnappers) should also be killed,” he insisted.
Also speaking with correspondents on the telephone, the Elerepamo of Pamo, Oba Ayobami Ogunmakin, said, “We are kings; it’s the government that knows the law. What they deserve under the law is what the government should give them. If I say they should kill them or imprison them, I don’t know the law, but we are happy the government sentenced them to life imprisonment.”
A resident of the local government area, who identified herself simply as Kausara, also expressed disappointment about the judgment, saying, “Why will the court send them to prison?