Court Sentences Three Suspects In Oyo Oriire Abduction Case To Life Imprisonment

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three suspects linked to the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State to life imprisonments.

Justice Salim Ibrahim convicted and sentenced Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, alias Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, alias Abu Itisar, for terrorism-related offences.

The court ruled that their sentences would take effect from the date of their arrest.

Before sentencing, defence counsel pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, arguing that the convicts were first-time offenders, had pleaded guilty, and showed remorse for their actions.

The defence also told the court that the men were married with children and had aged parents who depended on them, urging the judge to consider a lighter sentence.

However, the prosecution argued that the suspects had knowledge of activities linked to terrorists and failed to report such information to the relevant authorities.

The three defendants pleaded guilty to charges bordering on membership of a proscribed terrorist group and concealing information about the planning and execution of criminal activities.

They were prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) on a 10-count charge involving kidnapping, concealment of information, terrorism-related offences, and alleged support for terrorist operations.

According to the charges, the suspects, who are from Niger State, allegedly withheld information about individuals involved in terrorist activities, participated in kidnapping operations, and used messaging platforms to facilitate terrorist training.