The Department of State Services (DSS) has instituted fresh terrorism charges against five convicted members of the Ansaru terrorist group, including two of its alleged top commanders, over their alleged involvement in the deadly attack and abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The five defendants were arraigned on Wednesday before Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court in Abuja, where they pleaded not guilty to a six-count charge bordering on terrorism and related offences.
The defendants are Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, whom the DSS identified as the leader of Ansaru; Abubakar Abbas, also known as Isah Adam, Mahmud al-Nigeri or Malam Mamuda, described as the group’s deputy leader and chief of staff; 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.
The fresh charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2026, was filed on July 29 by DSS counsel, M.E. Ernest, and contains six terrorism-related counts under the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The latest prosecution comes only days after the five defendants were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in separate terrorism cases linked to the same terrorist activities.
On July 20, Justice Emeka Nwite sentenced Muhammad and Abbas to life imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to a 32-count terrorism charge.
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Three days later, the same judge handed life sentences to Umar, Musa and Sani after they admitted their roles in the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers during the attack in Oriire LGA.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, DSS counsel, Calistus Eze, informed the court that the prosecution had amended the charge to include all five defendants and requested that the amended information be read to them.
After the charges were read in open court, all five defendants pleaded not guilty.
The prosecution subsequently asked the court to fix a date for trial and requested that the defendants remain in the custody of the DSS pending the determination of the case.
Although the defence objected to the application, Justice Ibrahim dismissed the objection and ordered that the defendants remain in DSS custody.
The judge, however, directed that the defendants be granted unrestricted access to their legal counsel and two family members while in detention.
He adjourned the matter until September 25 for the commencement of trial.
According to the charge, the defendants allegedly participated in the May 15 attack on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area, during which 39 pupils and seven teachers were abducted by the terrorists.
During the period of captivity, one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was allegedly beheaded by the attackers, who reportedly circulated a video of the killing.
Authorities also confirmed that another teacher, John Olaleye, died while in captivity, bringing the number of teachers who lost their lives during the incident to two.
The remaining five teachers and all 39 pupils were eventually rescued after spending 56 days in captivity.
The DSS further alleged that before the hostages were freed, the kidnappers demanded the release of Muhammad and Abbas as part of negotiations for the victims’ release.
The latest charges underscore the Federal Government’s continued prosecution of terrorism-related offences under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, even after previous convictions involving the same suspects, as authorities intensify efforts to dismantle terrorist networks and ensure accountability for attacks targeting schools and other civilian institutions.