Federal High Court rules against mercy plea, says offenders played active roles in Oriire abduction and terror network.

Justice has been delivered in one of the cases tied to the disturbing abduction of students and teachers in Oyo State, as a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced three men to life imprisonment for their roles in the crime.

Justice Salim Ibrahim handed down the ruling on Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid, Yunusa Musa (alias Yunusa Bin Musa), and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also called Abu Itisar. The court ordered that their life sentences take effect from the date they were first arrested.

The three men admitted to being members of a banned terrorist group and to withholding critical information about the planning and execution of the school abduction in Oriire Local Government Area.

Despite emotional appeals from their lawyer, who urged the court to show leniency on the grounds that they were first-time offenders with families and elderly dependents, the prosecution pushed back firmly. Prosecutors argued that the men were fully aware of their actions and failed in their civic duty to report terrorist activities.

The court sided with the prosecution, emphasizing the gravity of the offences and the need for accountability.

Further details presented in court showed that Abdulrazak Umar played a deeper role in the network, pleading guilty to additional charges including undergoing terrorist training, issuing operational directives, and spreading extremist ideology to recruit or influence others.

The Department of State Services (DSS), which brought the case, had charged the suspects on a 10-count indictment covering kidnapping, terrorism-related offences, and concealment of information.

Investigations revealed that the trio, all from Niger State, not only concealed intelligence about terrorist operations but also actively participated in kidnapping activities and used digital messaging platforms to coordinate training and operations.

The judgment marks a significant development in efforts to tackle terrorism and secure schools across Nigeria, particularly in regions that have faced repeated attacks on students and educators.