Five men accused of involvement in the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges filed against them by the Federal Government.
The defendants were re-arraigned on Thursday before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the May 15, 2026, attack on three schools in the Oriire area.
They are also facing allegations connected to the killing of two victims during the period of captivity.
The Department of State Services, DSS, brought the suspects back before the court after an earlier attempt to arraign them was delayed by their demand to be represented by lawyers of their choice.
The five defendants are Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a and Abbas Mukhtar; Abubakar Abbas, also known as Isah Adam and Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri; Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, also known as Abu Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar.
The Federal Government accused the defendants of belonging to Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, commonly known as ANSARU, which it described as a proscribed terrorist organisation.
The amended charge contains seven counts bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, conspiracy and alleged concealment of information about planned terrorist activities.
When the charges were read in court, each of the five defendants entered a plea of not guilty.
The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, who led the legal team representing the DSS, urged the court to allow the case to proceed immediately in accordance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
Oyedepo also asked the court to protect prosecution witnesses expected to appear during the trial.
He requested that the identities of the witnesses be shielded and that they should be permitted to testify while wearing masks because of security concerns.
Defence counsel, Bala Dakum, did not oppose the request.
Justice Salim Ibrahim subsequently granted the applications made by the prosecution.
The ruling means that the witnesses expected to testify against the defendants will receive additional protection during the proceedings.
At the centre of the case is the May 15 attack in Oriire Local Government Area.
According to the prosecution, Mahmud Muhammad and Abubakar Abbas allegedly played a leadership role in the operation.
The two men are accused of directing the other three defendants, whom the prosecution described as their “foot soldiers”, to abduct and kill Nigerians in different parts of the country if they were eventually arrested.
The prosecution alleged that the directive was connected to the abduction of about 46 pupils, teachers and school officials from three schools in Oriire.
The affected schools were Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, and L.A. Primary School in Esiele.
The attack took place on May 15, 2026, when armed men invaded the schools and took the victims into captivity.
The case took a more serious turn following allegations that two of the abducted victims, Michael Oyedokun and Deacon John Olaleye, were killed.
The prosecution further alleged that Olaleye was decapitated during the ordeal.
The government is also accusing the defendants of failing to provide information to security agencies about an alleged plan to carry out a terrorist attack and kidnap schoolchildren and teachers.
Another part of the case centres on an alleged conspiracy to abduct the victims.
Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa and Shamsu Adamu Sani were separately accused of aiding the alleged kidnapping.
The prosecution also alleged that the three men conspired with other individuals, including Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab, who are not currently before the court.
Mahmud Muhammad and Abubakar Abbas were also accused of concealing information about an imminent terrorist act which allegedly resulted in the abduction and subsequent deaths of two victims.
The charges were brought under different provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Politics Nigeria recalls that the incident began on May 15 when armed men reportedly stormed schools in communities within Oriire Local Government Area.
The attackers targeted schools around Ahoro-Esiele and Yawota.
The operation affected Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, L.A. Primary School in Esiele and Community Grammar School in Esiele.
A total of about 46 pupils, teachers and school officials were taken during the attack.
The abduction triggered a major security operation as families waited for the return of their relatives.
The victims eventually spent 56 days in captivity.
Their release came on July 10 after an intelligence-led operation involving several security agencies.
The Nigerian Army said the operation was conducted against the network responsible for the abduction, including its alleged kingpins, logistics channels, informants and hideouts in and around the Old Oyo National Park.
Several security agencies participated in the operation.
They included the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, DSS, Nigeria Police Force, National Intelligence Agency, National Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Amotekun Corps, alongside local vigilantes and hunters.
The military later disclosed that several suspects were arrested during the operation in Oyo State and other parts of the country.
According to the Army, the arrests disrupted the criminal network and increased pressure on those holding the victims.
The rescued pupils and teachers were subsequently taken into care and later reunited with their families.
The Federal Government also said no ransom was paid for their release.
President Bola Tinubu stated at the time that “no ransom was paid” and “no concession was made.”
