The Federal Government has arraigned three men before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the abduction of pupils and teachers from a school in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

 

The defendants — 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 brought before the court on Friday on a 10-count charge.

 

According to the charge, the suspects are facing allegations bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement, and illegal mining.

 

The Federal Government alleged that the defendants, all natives of Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, conspired with three other individuals identified as Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed, and Ibrahim Khabab between January and May 2026 to carry out the abduction of the schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State.

 

Prosecutors said the alleged offences contravene Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

 

The charge further stated that the suspects allegedly facilitated the kidnapping operation and deliberately withheld information regarding the identities, locations, and activities of the alleged masterminds despite having prior knowledge of the plot.

 

The Federal Government is also accusing the defendants of providing support to criminal activities linked to the incident, as investigations into the case continue.

 

The arraignment marks another step in ongoing efforts by security agencies and the Federal Government to bring those responsible for kidnappings and related crimes to justice.

 

The case has been adjourned for further proceedings.