Just In: FG Arraigns Suspects Over Oyo Schoolchildren, Teachers’ Abduction, Releases Photos
- The federal government charged three men from Niger State over the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo state's Oriire Local Government Area
- Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa, and Shamsu Adamu Sani face terrorism, kidnapping, concealment, incitement, and illegal mining charges
- The 10-count charge was filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, July 17, citing the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering security matters and counter-insurgency in Nigeria and Africa.
FCT, Abuja - Three men were on Friday, July 17, arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on a 10-count charge arising from the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers from an institution in Oriire Local Government Area (LGA) of Oyo state.
As reported by The Punch, the defendants, Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa, and Shamsu Adamu Sani, all from Suleja LGA in Niger state, are facing counts that include terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement, and illegal mining. The charges were formally filed on Friday, July 17, 2026.
Source: Twitter
Oyo kidnapping: Three face terror charges
Guardian also noted the update as government insiders said President Bola Tinubu's administration maintains a strict "no mercy" policy against terrorists, bandits, and other armed criminal groups.
Umar is known by the aliases Abu Khalifa and Abu Khalid, Musa goes by Yunusa bin Musa, and Sani is identified as Abu Itisar.
Oriire abduction: Details of the charges
According to the prosecution, the three defendants allegedly conspired with three others, named as Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed, and Ibrahim Khabab, to carry out the abduction between January and May. The alleged conspiracy is said to contravene Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Beyond the conspiracy charge, the defendants are also accused of actively aiding the abduction and of withholding information about the identities and movements of the alleged masterminds, despite being aware of the plot and its details.
The photos of the three men linked to the Oriire abduction can be viewed below via the X post:
Legit.ng reports that the filing of the charges represents one of the most significant prosecutorial steps taken in connection with the fatal Oyo state kidnapping, which drew widespread attention to the spread of abduction-for-ransom activity into south-western Nigeria.
Source: UGC
Read more Oyo news
- NDLEA arrests Mexican, 4 others, dismantles industrial-scale Meth laboratory in Oyo forest
- Sunday Igboho spits fire, threatens deadly action against kidnappers in fresh video
- Tension in Oyo state as University of Ibadan student is abducted
Oyo pupils: Lawmaker charges governments
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central, called on the federal and state governments to make psychological support, trauma counselling and rehabilitation available to the 39 pupils and teachers rescued from their captors in Oyo state.
Natasha stressed that their recovery must extend well beyond their physical release.
Natasha made the appeal during Senate plenary, while contributing to a motion on the rescue of
victims who were held captive for more than 50 days after armed bandits attacked three schools in the Yawota and Ahoro Esienle communities of Oriire LGA in May.
Source: Legit.ng
