The Federal Government on Thursday re-arraigned five men accused of complicity in the May 15 kidnapping of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State and the subsequent killing of two of the victims before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The five defendants, who were identified as alleged members of the proscribed terrorist group Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU), are Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a and Abbas Mukhtar; Abubakar Abbas, also known as Isah Adam and Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri; Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa and Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, also known as Abu Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar.
They are facing an amended seven-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2026.
The defendants are accused of offences including conspiracy, aiding the commission of a terrorist act, concealing information from security agencies, kidnapping and killings.
When the amended charges were read to them by a court official, all five defendants pleaded not guilty.
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Following their pleas, the lead prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), who is also the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), applied for the trial to commence pursuant to the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.
Oyedepo also asked the court to conceal the identities of prosecution witnesses by allowing them to testify while wearing masks, citing the need to protect them.
Counsel to the defendants, Bala Dakum, did not object to the prosecution’s request.
Justice Salim Ibrahim subsequently granted the application and ordered that the trial should commence.
Further details of the proceedings are expected.
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