Federal Govt Arraigns Three Men Over Oriire School Children Kidnap, Terrorism, Illegal Gold Mining

 

 

The Federal  Government has arraigned three men before the Federal High  Court in Abuja over their alleged involvement in the kidnapping of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, as well as terrorism-related offences, concealment, incitement and illegal gold mining.

The defendants, identified as 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), all residents of Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, were charged in a 10-count charge filed by the Federal Government.

According to the charge sheet, the suspects allegedly conspired with Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed, and Ibrahim Khabab between January and May 2026 to abduct schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire LGA, Oyo State.

The Federal Government alleged that the trio committed offences contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The prosecution further accused the defendants of aiding the kidnappers in carrying out the abduction of the victims, an offence contrary to Section 26(2) of the Act and punishable under Section 26(3).

Court documents also alleged that the three defendants deliberately concealed intelligence concerning the identities and activities of the alleged masterminds despite having knowledge of their terrorist activities and the planned kidnapping.

According to the charges, they failed to report information regarding the activities of Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab to relevant security agencies, thereby violating Section 16(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The  government further alleged that the suspects also withheld information about the actual kidnapping of the Oriire schoolchildren and teachers, thereby frustrating efforts by security agencies to apprehend those responsible.

In another count, the Federal Government alleged that on or about June 2, 2026, the three defendants professed membership of Darul Salam, described in the charge sheet as an affiliate of Jamaatu Asarul Muslima Fi Bilandis Sudan (Ansaru), a terrorist organisation proscribed in Nigeria.

The charge stated that such membership contravenes Section 25(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The charge sheet contained additional allegations against the first defendant, Abdulrazak Umar, accusing him of operating a WhatsApp platform allegedly used for terrorist activities.

According to the prosecution, Umar, a resident of Sandako in Suleja LGA, provided training and operational instructions to terrorists through a WhatsApp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace.”

The alleged offences were said to have been committed around July 2026 and were brought under Section 15 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The government further alleged that through the same WhatsApp group, Umar provided additional terrorist instructions contrary to Section 2(2)(g) of the Terrorism Act.

In a separate count, prosecutors accused him of using his online sermons and teachings on the WhatsApp platform to incite members to commit acts of terrorism.

The alleged online incitement was said to contravene Section 18 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.

Beyond the terrorism allegations, the Federal Government also accused Umar of engaging in unlawful gold mining activities.

According to the charge sheet, between 2024 and 2026, he allegedly mined gold from streams located in the Chaza area of Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State without lawful authority.

The prosecution said the alleged illegal mining violated Section 8(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The charges read: “COUNT 1 That you 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), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January- May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed an offence when you conspired with Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab to kidnap school children and teachers in Orire LGA, Oyo State. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

COUNT 2: That you, 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), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State, sometime between January-May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable  Court, committed an offence when you aided Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab in the kidnap of school children and teachers in Orire LGA, Oyo State. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(2) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 26(3) of the Act.

COUNT 3: That you, 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), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State, sometime between January-May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, committed an offence when you aided Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab in the kidnap of school children and teachers in Orire LGA, Oyo State. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(2) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 26(3) of the Act.

COUNT 4: That you, 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), adults, all of Suleja LGA, Niger State, sometime between January-May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence, to wit: concealment in that you had information about Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab as terrorists who are masterminds of the kidnap of school children and teachers of Oriire LGA of Oyo State, but failed to report the same to the relevant security operatives. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 16(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

COUNT 5: That you, ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID), YUNUSA MUSA (A.K.A YUNUSA BIN MUSA) and_SHAMSU ADAMU SANT (A.K.A ABU ITISAR), adults, all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January-May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence to wit: concealment in that you had information about the kidnap of school children and teachers of Orire LGA of Oyo State by Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab but failed to report same to the relevant security operatives to facilitate their apprehension. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 16(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

COUNT 6: That you, 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), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State_on or about the 2nd June, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence, to wit: membership when you professed to be members of Darul Salam, an affiliate of Jamaatu Asarul Muslima Fi Bilandis Sudan (Ansaru) a proscribed terrorist group in Nigeria. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 25(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

COUNT 7: That you, ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID), Male, adult of Sandako, Suleja LGA, Niger State, on or about July 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence in that you provided training and instructions to terrorists via your WhatsApp group titled “The oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace”. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

COUNT 8: That you, ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID), Male, adult of Sandako, Suleja LGA, Niger State, on or about July at Suleja LGA, Niger State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence in that you provided training and instructions to terrorists via your WhatsApp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace”. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2(2)(g) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

COUNT 9: That you, ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID), Male, adult of Sandako, Suleja LGA, Niger State, on or about July at Suleja LGA, Niger State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable  Court, did commit an offence when you incited your members on your WhatsApp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace” through your preachings to commit acts of terrorism. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

COUNT 10: That you ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID), Male, adult of Sandako, Suleja LGA, Niger State, sometime between 2024-2026 at Chaza Area, Suleja LGA, Niger State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence in that you engaged in mining of Gold at streams in Chaza area, Suleja LGA, Niger State, without lawful authority. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, LN 2004 and punishable under the same Section of the Act”.