The three suspects arraigned over alleged involvement in the recent kidnapping of school children and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area (LGA) of Oyo State have on Thursday pleaded guilty to terrorism charge filed against them.
NPO Reported that the suspects, who all hail from Suleja LGA of Niger State, arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) were arraigned to court shortly after the rescue of kidnapped students and their teachers.
The three men were identified as 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).
They are facing trial before Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court in Abuja on a 10-count charge, but pleaded guilty to counts four and six.
Umar, the 1st defendant, who was the only one mentioned in counts seven, eight, nine and ten, pleaded guilty to all the four counts.
Count four alleged that the three defendants, sometime between January and May in Suleja LGA, concealed information of Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab as being terrorists who masterminded the kidnap of school children and teachers in Oriire LGA of Oyo State but failed to report same to the relevant security agencies.
The charge sheet also alleged that the trio, on or about 2nd June 2026, professed membership of Darul Salam, described as an affiliate of Jamaatu Asarul Muslima Fi Bilandis Sudan (Ansaru), a proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria, contrary to Section 25(1) of the Act.
In separate counts, the first defendant, Abdulrazak Umar, is specifically accused of providing training and instructions to terrorists and inciting members to commit acts of terrorism through a WhatsApp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace”, offences said to contravene Sections 15 and 2(2)(g) of the Terrorism Act as well as Section 18 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
The tenth count accused Umar of engaging in unlawful gold mining at streams within the Chaza area of Suleja LGA between 2024 and 2026, contrary to Section 8(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
The full count 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 and 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 it is 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 and 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 kidnapping 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 and 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 kidnapping 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 and 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 kidnapping of school children and teachers of Orire LGA of Oyo State but failed to report 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 kidnapping 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 tited “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”.