A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three men to life imprisonment for terrorism offences linked to the abduction of students and teachers in Oyo State, reinforcing efforts to protect schools from extremist violence.
Justice Salim Ibrahim convicted Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid, Yunusa Musa, also called Yunusa Bin Musa, and Shamsu Adamu Sani, known as Abu Itisar, after they pleaded guilty to belonging to a proscribed terrorist organisation and concealing information about the planning and execution of the school abduction in Oriire Local Government Area.
The court also found that Abdulrazak Umar admitted four additional terrorism-related offences, including training members of the terrorist group, transmitting operational directives and promoting violent extremist ideology.
Defence counsel urged the court to show leniency, arguing that the convicts were first-time offenders who demonstrated remorse by pleading guilty. The lawyer also asked the court to consider their family responsibilities, noting that they have wives, children and elderly parents who depend on them.
The prosecution opposed the plea, arguing that the defendants deliberately concealed information about terrorist activities instead of reporting it to security agencies, thereby aiding the group’s operations.
In his judgment, Justice Ibrahim described the offences as grave and imposed life imprisonment on all three convicts. He ordered that their sentences take effect from the date of their arrest.
The ruling underscores Nigeria’s efforts to hold terrorism offenders accountable, deter attacks on schools and strengthen the protection of students, teachers and vulnerable communities from violent extremism.
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