The Federal Government has filed a 10-count charge against three men over the abduction of pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The defendants, identified as Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa and Shamsu Adamu Sani, are facing charges bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement and illegal mining.
The charges were filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday.
According to court documents, Abdulrazak Umar is also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid, while Yunusa Musa and Shamsu Adamu Sani are also known as Yunusa bin Musa and Abu Itisar respectively. The three defendants are all from Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State.
The prosecution alleged that the defendants conspired with Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab between January and May 2026 to orchestrate the kidnapping of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State.
The Federal Government said the alleged conspiracy contravenes Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The defendants were also accused of aiding and facilitating the abduction and of deliberately concealing information regarding the identities and activities of the alleged masterminds despite having knowledge of the plot.
The charges mark a significant development in the investigation into the mass abduction that shocked the nation and sparked renewed concerns about insecurity and the safety of schools across Nigeria.
The pupils and teachers were kidnapped on 15 May 2026 when armed men attacked three schools in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.
They were eventually rescued after spending 56 days in captivity following a coordinated operation involving security agencies.
The case is expected to come up before the Federal High Court in Abuja for the defendants to take their plea on the charges preferred against them.
