Three suspects in the kidnapping of teachers and students in Oyo State’s Oriire Local Government Area were given life sentences by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The court ruled that 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, would begin their sentences on the day of their arrest.
The defendants’ attorneys begged the court to give them lenient sentences prior to Justice Salim Ibrahim’s sentencing. They had entered a guilty plea and were first-time offenders, he continued.
Ibrahim noted that all of the charges against them had nothing to do with the kidnapping and that this demonstrated their regret for what they had done.
He went on to say that the prisoners were married men with kids and elderly parents who were reliant on them. He begged the judge to sentence them liberally and give them another chance at life.
However, the prosecution’s attorney emphasized that since the prisoners were aware of the individuals on the battlefield, they ought to have informed the authorities because they were genuine Nigerians.
They entered a guilty plea to membership in a prohibited terrorist organization after the charges were read to them.
The three defendants entered a guilty plea to hiding information about the planning and execution of the kidnapping during their arraignment on charges of terrorism at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Only Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid, the first accused, entered a guilty plea to counts 7, 8, 9, and 10, which involved inciting terror group members with a specific religious ideology and providing training and instructions.
The DSS was putting the three defendants on trial for a ten-count charge that included offenses related to kidnapping, information concealment, and terrorism.
The defendants, who are all from Niger State, are charged with participating in kidnapping, using a messaging platform to support terrorist training, and purposefully concealing information about people connected to terrorist activities.
