The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three men to life imprisonment over their role in the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Justice Salim Ibrahim handed down the sentence on Thursday after the defendants pleaded guilty to some of the charges filed by the Federal Government.

The convicted men are Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid, Yunusa Musa, also known as Yunusa bin Musa, and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar. The court ruled that the life sentence will take effect from the date of their arrest.

The trio were arraigned on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement, and illegal mining.

According to prosecutors, the defendants were arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS. The Federal Government accused them of belonging to Darul Salam, described as an affiliate of Jamaatu Asarul Muslima Fi Bilandis Sudan, Ansaru, a proscribed terrorist organization in Nigeria.

During proceedings, all three admitted guilt to counts four and six. They also confessed to concealing information about the masterminds of the school attack and acknowledged their membership of Darul Salam. 

Only the first defendant, Umar, pleaded guilty to additional counts 7, 8, 9, and 10, which involved providing training and instructions to terrorists through a WhatsApp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace”.

The prosecution alleged that between January and May 2026, the defendants conspired with others, including Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab, to facilitate the abduction of school children and teachers in Oyo State. The three men are from Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State.

The Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, who led the FG’s legal team, urged the court to sentence the defendants on the counts to which they pleaded guilty.

The judgment is the latest in a series of successful prosecutions by the DSS in cases involving kidnapping and terrorism across Nigeria.