BREAKING: FG Arraigns Three Over Oyo Schoolchildren, Teacher’s Abduction

• The Federal Government has filed a 10-count terrorism charge against three suspects over the abduction of Oyo schoolchildren and teachers, accusing them of kidnapping, concealment, terrorist activities and illegal mining.

The Federal Government has arraigned three men before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the abduction of pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, filing a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment, incitement and illegal mining.

The defendants—Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa, and Shamsu Adamu Sani—were charged on Friday over their alleged roles in the mass abduction that shocked the country earlier this year.

According to the charge sheet, Umar is also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid, Musa as Yunusa bin Musa, while Sani is also known as Abu Itisar. All three are natives of Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State.

The prosecution alleged that between January and May 2026, the suspects conspired with Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab to kidnap schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State, contrary to the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

They were also accused of aiding the kidnapping operation and knowingly concealing the identities of the alleged masterminds without reporting them to security agencies.

In another count, the three defendants were accused of professing membership of Darul Salam, which prosecutors described as an affiliate of the banned terrorist group Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru).

Additional charges were filed against Abdulrazak Umar alone.

The Federal Government alleged that he used a WhatsApp platform titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace” to provide training and instructions to terrorists and to incite members to commit acts of terrorism.

He was also charged with engaging in illegal gold mining in the Chaza area of Suleja between 2024 and 2026 without lawful authority.

The charges stem from the May 15, 2026, attack on Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.

Gunmen abducted dozens of pupils and teachers during the attack.

The incident claimed the lives of Joel Adesiyan, the assistant headmaster of L.A. Primary School, who was shot while attempting to escape, and Michael Oyedokun, a Mathematics teacher who was later killed during the victims’ 56-day captivity.

The abducted pupils and teachers regained their freedom on July 10 following an intelligence-led military operation targeting the kidnappers’ hideouts in the Old Oyo National Park.

The Nigerian Army said 44 pupils and teachers were rescued while eight suspected gang members were arrested during the operation.

The Presidency has maintained that the rescue was carried out without the payment of ransom, despite reports that the kidnappers had demanded ₦1 billion and the release of one of their detained commanders.