By Taiye Agbaje
The Department of State Services (DSS) on Wednesday rearraigned the two convicted Ansaru terror commnaders and three other convicts at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The five terrorists were arraigned before Justice Salim Ibrahim over their alleged involvement in the killings of two teachers among the seven teachers and 39 students abducted in Oyo State.
They are Mahmud Usman Muhammad, a.k.a Abu Bara’a/Abbas Mukhtar, the self-styled Emir of Ansaru; and Abubakar Abbas, a.k.a Isah Adam/Mahmud al-Nigeri/Malam Mamuda, who is the deputy and chief of staff to Bara’a.
The three other men, arraigned alongside the two commnaders, are Abdulrazak Umar (a.k.a. Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa (a.k.a. Yunusa bin Musa) and Shamsu Adamu Sani (a.k.a. Abu Itisar).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Emeka Nwite of a sister court had, on July 20, sentenced Muhammad and Abbas to a life imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to the 32-count terrorism charge preferred against them by the DSS.
Also, Justice Ibrahim had, on July 23, committed Umar, Musa and Sani to a life imprisonment following their guilty plea to the allegations of their involvement in the recent kidnap of school children and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area (LGA) of Oyo State.
The DSS, in the trial, had filed a 10-count charge against them.
Although the two judges gave the convicts the maximum sentencing in line with the prescribed laws in the charges, the security outfit was dissatisfied with the development, prompting the agency to file a fresh charge against the five men.
The latest charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2026, had six counts that bordered on terrorism.
Thr charge, dated and filed on July 29 by the DSS lawyer, M.E. Ernest, had Mahmud Muhammad, Abubakar Abbas, Abudulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa and Shamsu Adamu Sani as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.
When the case was called on Wednesday, DSS kawyer, Calistus Eze, informed the court that the matter was for the defendsnts to take their plea.
He said an amended charge had been filed on July 29.
He urged the court to allow the amended charge which contained the names of the five convicts to be read to them.
The defence lawyer did not object.
And after the charge was read to the defendants, they all pleaded not guilty to the fresh charge.
Eze then sought a trial date to enable the prosecution to prove its case against the defendants.
The lawyer also applied that the defendants be remanded in custody of the DSS.
Although the defence lawyer objected, Justice Ibrahim overruled him in a ruling.
The judge, however, ordered that the defendants br given unrestricted access to their lawyer and two of their family members before adjourning the matter until Sept. 25 for commencement of trial.
In count one, Muhammad and Abbas were alleged to have, sometime between 2025 and 2026, ordered their foot soldiers of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU) terrorist group, including Umar, Musa and Sani, that in the event of their arrest by the government, to kidnap and kill victims in different parts of the country.
It said this was to compel the government to accede to their demands and in obedience to their order, their foot soldiers and cohorts, on May 15, kidnapped some pupils and teachers of Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery/Primary School, and L.A. Primary School, Orire LGA, Oyo State, numbering about 46 victims.
The offence is contrary to Section 24 of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 24(2)(b) of the same Act.
In count two, Muhammad and Abbas were alleged to have, sometime between 2025 and 2026, in furtherance of their order stated above to their foot soldiers and cohorts, including Umar, Musa and Sani, and after the kidnap on May 15, did cause the death of two teachers; Michael Oyedokun and Deacon John Olaleye.
The offence is contrary to Section 2(3) (g) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 24(2) of the same Act.
Count three accused the defendsnts of knowingly concealing information, sometime between 2025 and 2026, about an imminent acts of terrorism by Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU) terrorist group which led to the May 15 abduction of about 46 persons and killing of two persons; Michael Oyedokun and Deacon John Olaleye.
The prosecution alleged that though the defendants knew the information would be of material assistance in apprehending and preventing the commission of acts of terrorism, they failed to disclose the information to any law enforcement or security officer.
It said the offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 16 (1) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In count four, Umar, Musa and Sani, sometime between January and May at Suleja LGA, Niger State, were alleged to have committed the offence when they conspired with Muhammed Sani, Jibril Mohammed, Ibrahim Khabab, Mahmud Muhammad, Abubakar Abbas and others at large, to kidnap school children and teachers in Orire LGA, Oyo State.
The offence is contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act, among other counts.
NAN recalls that terrorists killed one teacher and abducted seven teachers and 39 pupils when they attacked three schools in Oriire LGA on May 15.
One teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was later beheaded by the attackers, who publicly flaunted the act in a video that went viral.
After the rescue of the abductees, authorities later confirmed that Deacon John Olaleye, another teacher, was also killed, bringing the number of teachers killed in captivity to two.
39 pupils and five surviving teachers, who spent 56 days in captivity, were rescued.
Earlier before their rescue, the terrorists demanded the release of the two Ansaru commnaders (Muhammad and Abbas) as part of the bargain for the release of the abductees.
